The world's press rushed to the town after a rare whale was spotted in the river.

A Beluga Whale was spotted in the River Thames, just off Gravesend earlier today.

Two bird watchers were shocked when they saw the impressive mammal swimming in the waters.

Within hours helicopters from national media outlets were at the scene filming the animal.

Consultant ecologist and ornithologist Dave Andrews was one of the first people to spot the creature in the river at around midday.

He tweeted: "Can't believe I'm writing this, no joke - Beluga in the Thames off Coalhouse Fort."

Mr Andrews has been watching the whale for more than two hours and has seen it come out of the water a number of times, as well as feeding around the barges.

It was spotted by Coalhouse Fort in East Tilbury. However, photographers and reporters descended upon an area of the river near Shorne.

Members of the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) are also in the area monitoring the mammal.

The organisation based in Uckfield, is the UK's largest marine animal rescue organisation and was the lead the attempt to rescue the Thames Whale which got stranded in London in January 2006.

Director Mark Stevens, 61, who lives in Wigmore, said: "We have people there keeping an eye on it and it seems to be swimming strongly.

"People need to keep away from it and hopefully it will go a way.

"It should be able to feed quite well as there are a lot of mackerel in the river at the moment.

"We will continue to monitor it and I would say its even rarer than the other Thames whale, its a real Arctic animal."

Gravesend photographer Fraser Gray was at the scene to picture the unusual event.

He said: "It kept coming up for some quick dips out of the water and using its blow hole.

"He then disappeared for about ten minutes at a time.

"Masses of people turned up. It went from two people bird spotting, to helicopters flying over us all of a sudden and national journalists appearing."

Beluga whales are also known as white whales and are usually spotted in groups, known as pods.

RSPCA spokesman, Ginny Reid, said: "The RSPCA is aware of reports of a whale - possibly a beluga - in the Thames.

"We are working with other agencies to monitor the situation and ready to provide appropriate assistance if requested.”

Gravesend RNLI were on an exercise when they were asked by PLA to clarify a sighting of the whale.