PEOPLE are being urged to watch the coast for porpoises, dolphins and whales after three porpoises were spotted at the mouth of the Tees in a Seawatch event held during the Bank Holiday weekend.

The Harbour Porpoises were seen off Hartlepool Harbour as part of the National Whale and Dolphin Watch weekend, which involved volunteers staffing observation points around the UK coastline to take a snapshot of numbers and variety of wildlife in the coastal waters.

Now The Seawatch Foundation, which organised the event, is urging people to take a closer look out to sea when they are on the East Cleveland coastline.

During the weekend event two official posts in the North-East were staffed by volunteers - at Tynemouth and Scarborough.

Andy Tait, who staffed the Tynemouth post, said: "It's a good time of year to spot dolphins and porpoises because there's a lot more food around for them and the water's warmer. But the sea has been rather rough this weekend which has put the kibosh on what we could see.

"We need more people watching out for these creatures in the area. People have a good chance of seeing them from right up at Holy Island right down to Hartlepool and further south."

People who report sightings for The Seawatch Foundation are volunteers whose work or leisure activities take them on or near the sea. They include everyone from holidaymakers and ornithologists to fishermen, coastguards and aircraft pilots.

The Foundation offers training for people who wish to join the spotting network.

Nick Richardson, who staffed the Scarborough watch, is setting up research into North Sea porpoises. He said: "It's really important that people become interested in these animals and understand that porpoises are endangered creatures.

"The greatest risk to them comes from trawlers. Many are caught in drift nets each year."

For details write to Seawatch Foundation, 36 Windmill Road, Headington, Oxford, 0X3 7BX, phone (01865) 764794 or log on to www.seawatchfoundation.org.uk