Pod of dolphins spotted off Clarence Pier in Southsea

This footage was captured on Wednesday afternoon by Sara Blaker, who had headed to the beach with her six-year-old son and six-month-old daughter to see her mum, who lives in Southsea – planning an afternoon dip in the sea in the hot weather.

Sara said: ‘I went for a swim with my son whilst my mum looked after my little girl and after getting out I sat down on our blanket and just saw a dolphin fin… I shouted across to my mum and son and grabbed my phone with excitement to take some pictures and this video as the last time we saw wild dolphins was when we lived abroad in the Emirates so this was such a treat for us both and my little boy who has never seen one before.

‘I have lived in Portsmouth for 20 years and have never seen dolphins so close to the shore! My mum was looking after my daughter so couldn’t take pictures herself but was just as excited as me and I could see that everyone was too once they had spotted them…. Or possibly heard me screaming - “dolphin!”

‘I wish I could have been one of those paddleboarders as they must have some incredible pictures and to be that close to one free at sea must have been incredible.’

Two years ago fishermen were surprised to be surrounded by about 100 dolphins in the Solent, just five minutes from Langstone Harbour.