A POD of dolphins was spotted fishing near the surf reef at Boscombe on Thursday morning.

Wildlife enthusiast and resident Paul Godier was lucky enough to capture the spectacle on camera.

He said it was the first time in several years he had seen dolphins in this area as they are more frequently spotted along the Purbeck coastline.

“It was a lovely, calm, still, slightly misty morning – ideal for seeing dolphins. Otherwise, every wave looks like a dolphin,” he said.

“I saw a pod of around four or five east of the pier, fishing in the way dolphins do by circling a shoal of fish.

“The tell-tale sign to look out for is a flock of seagulls, which tend to follow the dolphins when they’re fishing.

“Once I saw the seagulls, I looked out for the dolphins.”

The 66-year-old, who is a retired Bournemouth council employee, added: “It’s very unusual to spot them at Boscombe, so I was lucky to see them.”