A rescue mission is underway to save a pod of pilot whales stranded off the Kent coast.

It is thought nine of the mammals are stuck on mudflats of the Swale estuary at Seasalter, between Whitstable and the Isle of Sheppey.

About 30 members of the British Divers Marine Life Rescue are understood to be at the scene and are using specialist equipment to reach the whales.

They hope the pod will be able to refloat when the tide comes in at 7am tomorrow.

Birdwatcher Mark Chidwick captured the whales on video earlier today when only the tops of their fins were visible.

He was first alerted to the pod by another birdwatcher who posted the news on the Faversham Birding Group community page this morning.

However, he did not see them until about 2pm when he and his friend Mike Gould went to The Sportsman pub to count the Brent Geese in the Swale.

Mr Chidwick said: “I was scanning the geese and I picked up on the whales on the edge of the Swale. We watched them but thought it was strange as the tide was dropping.

“You could see they were getting distressed. We posted what was happening online as best as we could and got in contact with the correct people.”

Pilot whales, which can be found worldwide, are one of the largest oceanic dolphins and are only exceeded in size by orcas.

It is not the first time whales have become stranded in the Swale.

In 2020, a sperm whale died two days after it was first spotted off the Whitstable coast.

Six years earlier, drivers were left stunned as a lorry carrying a 50ft headless sperm whale hurtled down the A2 after the huge creature became stranded near Seasalter.

The bloody carcass was taken to a landfill site in Canterbury.

The British Divers Marine Life Rescue has been contacted for further information.