Beachgoers battled to save a huge sperm whale that washed ashore in the Philippines.

Tourists and fishermen pushed the massive sea creature back to the sea after it was stranded in shallow waters off the coast of Dimasalang town in Masbate province on June 25 morning.

Resident Merry Cleofe said: 'We were all amazed because it was the first time we've seen a whale. The kids went to take a look since the sea is right behind our home.'

Philippine Aquatic Resources Bureau spokesman Nonie Enolva said the whale was successfully returned to the sea, but was beached again in the afternoon, reportedly due to the low tide. The marine mammal was estimated to be at least 26 feet long, and weighed about 12 metric tons.

The spokesman said: 'The best option was to release it to the wild. It just so happened that despite the attempts of our responders, it kept returning near the shore until the low tide left it stranded again.'

Authorities were hoping the high tide would take the whale back to the ocean depths but it died later that evening. The cause of its death is still being investigated.

Nonie added: 'The common causes of stranding are boat strikes, accidental catching, blast fishing, natural causes such as disease, old age and bad weather. This is the sixth sperm whale to be stranded in the Bicol Region.'