A dolphin which had become stranded on sandbanks in the River Dee at Chester has been released into deeper water.

Flint RNLI lifeboat launched at around 11.30am on Thursday  and proceeded to Airbus UK’s loading facility, just downstream from Saltney Ferry.

The dolphin was in difficulty and required help to reach deeper waters.

With a representative from British Divers Marine Life Rescue on board to monitor its condition, the volunteer crew put the dolphin inside a stretcher and transferred her into the lifeboat.

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The Flint inshore RNLI lifeboat headed towards Rhyl and was met by Rhyl all-weather lifeboat and the crew worked together to help release her in to deeper waters at Rhyl Flats.

The rescue has caused quite a buzz on social media with a member of the public setting up a JustGiving site to raise funds to free ‘Dave the Dolphin’ to www.justgiving.com/DaveTheDolphin.

Flint Lifeboat operations manager Alan Forrester said on Thursday: “The interest and support the RNLI at Flint received during this rescue has been unbelievable.

“We are so pleased that the rescue came to a successful conclusion.

“I would like to thank the employers of all our volunteer crew for freeing up their staff to enable them to help out not only today but throughout the year.”