UPDATE: The whale has a calf with it and it is being harassed by boats. Harassment of whales can result in a £5,000 fine or even a prison sentence through the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. The Devon and Severn Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority will be on scene shortly to police the area. Noise by boat engines will add to its disorientation and reduce its chances of survival. A WHALE has been spotted off the coast of the South Hams, and people are warned to keep away from it.

The Humpback Whale was first spotted on Thursday, off Start Bay.

Linda Hingley, Brixham Seawatch, said she had seen photos and has identified it as a humpback whale, but is convinced its not well.

‘Its too far South, and its in completely in the wrong place. It should be in the middle of the Atlantic, and its rare to see one on its own’ explained Lindy, ‘I was really hoping it was a Minke whale, as we occasionally see them off the coast here, and they move through and they’re fine, but this is obviously in trouble.

‘There is nothing we can do for it unfortunately, and the last thing we need is people going out in boats to take photos of it. Just leave it alone, its not well and it doesn’t need the stress.

‘I was hoping it would have disappeared overnight, but its still there this morning, which is awful.’

Linda sadly expects the whale to beach at some point soon, at which point its ‘game over’. ‘If that happens, the best thing would be for someone to go and put it out of its misery, anything else is just prolonging its suffering and stressing the animal out’ said Lindy.

Sadly, there are very few Humpback Whales left, with scientists estimating that there can’t be more than 15,000 of them in the world.