A FRIENDLY dolphin which has been living off the Kent coast is to be given urgent medical treatment.

Dave the Dolphin, who has become a familiar sight in Folkestone and Hythe over the past 18 months, is to be given antibiotics in an effort to save his life.

It is feared an injury to the dolphin’s tail could prove fatal if an infection sets in. Part of the tail has been chopped off by a boat propeller and the animal has a deep, open wound.

Other dolphins who have suffered similar injuries have died within days from infections.

Members of the British Divers Marine Life Rescue and the Marine Animal Rescue Coalition are to administer the drugs, by putting them in fish and throwing the fish to Dave to eat. They were planning to do this on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

By Friday, if this method is not successful, drugs will be administered by an injection, as they fear he will not live without them.

Jason Carter, of BDMLR, said: "We want to stress to people that we are going out in a boat with a propeller guard and that we are professionals. We would not want anyone else trying to get close to the dolphin in this way.

"Dave’s injuries are critical and of great concern. Over the next few days we have a small specialist team on site who will attempt to administer drugs via fresh fish.

"This is something that has to be done and we have no other option than to use a small boat. We are experts in marine mammal rescue and are prepared to do this for the absolute minimum amount of time.

"We do not want Dave to feel that approaching vessels is safe, nor do we in any circumstances want to give the impression to the community and others that it is acceptable to go out in a vessel near Dave or any other marine mammal.

"In this case we have no other option to do this in order to continue assessment and carry out what is absolutely necessary to try to prevent any suffering.

"We are doing everything humanly possible to keep Dave alive."