Mother and calf dolphins die in 'biggest' stranding in Cornwall in 10 years

Credit: British Divers Marine Life Rescue

Two female dolphins and a calf have died after they became stranded on a Cornwall beach.

The mammals were part of a pod of 11 common dolphins who became stuck on Godrevy beach at the end of St Ives bay - the biggest in Cornwall for 10 years.

Two visitors spotted them around 7am on Monday morning, 17 September.

Two visitors spotted them around 7am on Monday morning, 17 September. Credit: Dan Jarviss/BDMLR
The volunteers will conduct post-mortems on the dolphins to try to figure out what happened to them. Credit: Dan Jarviss/BDMLR

Eight of the dolphins were re-floated into the sea on the incoming tide.

20 Cornwall Wildlife Trust and British Divers Marine Life Rescue volunteers are monitoring there and nearby beaches, hoping they don't return.

Eight of the 11 dolphins were re-floated into the sea. Credit: British Divers Marine Life Rescue

The volunteers will conduct post-mortems on the dolphins to try to figure out what happened to them. They say one theory could be the dolphins came to the beach to try to help one of them who was sick.