A set of photos showing dolphins leaping out of the water along the North East coastline has caused excitement, as others attempt to see the majestic animals. 

The images, which were taken by Northern Echo Camera Club member, Steve Raine, were captured at South Shields on Wednesday (August 28) and show the animals playing and diving out of the water.

In the North East, seeing dolphins is not an impossible or unusual sight, but it's not as common as seeing them on other coastlines across the UK or abroad. 

The dolphins jumping from the waterThe dolphins jumping from the water (Image: STEVE RAINE/CAMERA CLUB)

After posting the photos on The Northern Echo Camera Club page, people were quick to comment, showing their envy at seeing the dolphins, with one person saying: "Wow, right place right time there," while another person simply added: "Beautiful".

This isn't the first time dolphins have been spotted on the North East coastline recently.

 Two dolphins in the waterTwo dolphins in the water (Image: STEVE RAINE/CAMERA CLUB)

A family were left delighted after they captured video of a pod of dolphins jumping in and out of the ocean along the County Durham coastline at the end of July.

Lauren Whitaker, 36, of Ryhope, was left shocked yet overjoyed when a visit to the beach with the family led to her capturing a pod of dolphins swimming in the ocean by Seaham on July 30.

Lauren, who was visiting the beach with husband Dan and daughter Nelly, five, spotted the pod and swiftly pulled out her phone to capture them leaping out of the water.

Lauren told The Northern Echo: "We just just went down to the beach for a casual walk. There was me, my husband, our daughter Nelly and our two sausage dogs.

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"It was quite hectic, the dogs were acting crazy. We had only been there for an hour and decided to pack up.

"But, as we were packing away I looked out to the sea and there they were. I have wanted to see them for so long along our coastline.

"I said to my husband 'what was that?' and he thought it was just the rocks. But, then we stood and watched - there was about 20 or 30 of them! It was absolutely fantastic!"