A THREE-hour rescue bid to save a young female porpoise found in difficulties on Dunster beach on Sunday, ended sadly when the animal had to be put to sleep.

Having raised the alarm to the RSPCA, coastguards from Watchet were on the scene within minutes.

They took over the task of keeping the porpoise in the water by supporting it, keeping its blow-hole above the water and trying to encourage it to swim. 

Coastguards were joined by an RSPCA inspector and by a British Divers’ Marine Life Rescue team who specialise in marine animal rescue and who carried out checks on the porpoise while still trying to encourage it to swim.