This is the heartwarming moment beachgoers rescued hundreds of dolphins that were stranded on the shallow part of the beach.

Children were playing near the sea in Catanduanes province, the Philippines, when they noticed the marine animals struggling to swim on October 7.

They rushed to help the dolphins by pushing them back into the sea while neighbours who saw them ran into the water to help.

Fisherman Jouie Magno was about to unload his catch from the boat when he saw the trapped marine creatures.

Jouie and the other fishermen sailed near the beach to push the dolphins away to the deeper part of the water.

He said: "We used our boats to create a barrier in the beach to stop the dolphins from swimming further. Luckily there were many people on the beach that day so they were saved."

Another resident, Charlotte Benedicto, said they called on more people for help because the stranded creatures were so many.

She said: "That part of the water was dangerous because it has rocks, they could get hurt so we helped them as fast as we can and called on our neighbours."

Officials said the dolphins may have been forced by strong currents into the shallow water.

Most of the dolphins were able to swim back to safety but some were wounded by the sharp rocks in the beach.

The local environment office said they are investigating the incident and regularly patrolling the area for more stranded dolphins.