Whale freed after fishing gear tangle

A HUMPBACK whale that became tangled in fishing gear near Dunbar for a second time in as many days has been released.

A team from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) struggled for almost four hours yesterday as it tried to free the 40-foot creature in the Firth of Forth, less than two miles off the Dunbar coast.

On Tuesday, the whale got trapped on the ropes of a prawn trawler, Boy Andrew, off St Abbs.

Crew members managed to cut it free and it swam off with the rope still attached and a deep cut on its tail, which was caused by the rope.

The mammal became trapped again in the nets of another boat, Charlie Boy, at around noon yesterday.

A spokesman for the BDMLR said: “After an incredibly physical rescue, the team has been able to free the humpback whale. The whale had become entangled in lobster pot lines.”