An injured dolphin that washed ashore on a beach was rescued in Phuket, Thailand.

The marine mammal was found by tourists and villagers drifting in shallow waters near Nai Yang Beach.

They called animal rescuers to save the male striped dolphin, which was 1.7 metres long, 80 centimetres in circumference, and weighed roughly 80kg. It appeared severely fatigued but was strong enough to slap its tail against the water.

Concerned locals watched over the weakened dolphin while waiting for help to come. They placed it on a stretcher, sheltered it under umbrellas, and splashed water onto its body to keep it from being dehydrated.

Officers later arrived and administered first aid before taking the sea creature to the Sireetarn Marine Endangered Animals Rescue Centre in Phuket.

Veterinarian Patcharaporn Kaewmong said the dolphin had wounds on the base of its tail, around its mouth, and a large abrasion on the right side of its body. The injuries are believed to have been caused by a net from which the dolphin broke loose.

Sorasak Rananan, head of Sirinat National Park, said four stranded dolphins were spotted a day earlier, but he did not know if the rescued animal was part of them.

He said: 'When we pushed them out, there weren't any wounded dolphins. They might have been lost or looking for food.'