A rescue mission was launched after a pod of whales became stranded off the British coast.

Nine pilot whales are believed to have become stuck on mudflats in the Swale estuary, located between Whitstable and the Isle of Sheppey in Kent.

Video footage of the incident captured the whales struggling in the shallow waters.

Crews from the HM Coastguard and about 30 members of the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) raced to the scene - using specialist equipment in an attempt to help the whales.

However, due to the tides and substrate, the whales were unreachable.

The mission was called off at around 10:30pm yesterday (September 30) as a result.

As of 7am today (October 1), a spokesperson for BDMLR said the whales had not yet been sighted.

It was hoped they would be able to refloat once the tide came in.

Birdwatcher Mark Chidwick captured the whales on video yesterday (September 30) - when only the tops of their fins were visible.

He had been alerted to the pod by a local who posted the news on Faversham Birding Group's Facebook page - but only caught sight of them later that day when he went down to the estuary to count the geese.

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 - only exceeded in size by orcas.

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

In 2020, a sperm whale was spotted struggling just off the Whitstable coast.

It tragically died two days later.