VISITORS to the North-East coast were asked to keep a look out for whales and dolphins at the weekend.

The Seawatch Foundation invited people to take part in a national survey of whales and dolphins to provide a record of the numbers and variety of whales, dolphins and porpoises seen around the British coastline.

Two posts were manned by Seawatch volunteers over the weekend at Tynemouth and Scarborough where porpoises are often spotted and there have been sightings of dolphins, mainly white beaks, and minke whales.

Andy Tait, who manned the Tynemouth post, said: "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.

"It's a good time of year to spot dolphins and porpoises because there is 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."

Nick Richardson, who manned 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 as many are caught in drift nets each year."

To record sea life spotted in the North-East and elsewhere in the UK, log on to http://www.seawatchfoundation.org.uk