Whale finally freed after getting stuck at lock on River Thames

A team of rescuers were called in to save the whale at Richmond Lock and Weir in south-west London (Picture: Reuters/LNP)

A whale has been freed after marooning itself along the River Thames in south-west London.

Hundreds gathered at Richmond Lock and Weir on Sunday evening after the small whale, believed to be a Minke, became stuck on the lock’s boat rollers.

Footage showed the four-metre long animal getting hosed down by a man believed to be a Port of London Authority (PLA) staffer.

A vet then performed an emergency check-up at the river’s edge, before the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) arrived to the cheers of onlookers at around 9pm.

Fire crews were also at the scene, along with the British Divers Marine Life Rescue service.

Several hours later at about 1am, the whale was finally freed.

Onlookers watch as the rescue mission carried on into the early hours on Sunday (Picture: PA)

The whale was finally freed by 1am this morning (Picture: Peter Manning/LNP)

The whale got stuck on the lock’s boat rollers (Picture: richardfrank.co.uk/LNP)

The Minke whale was hosed down to stop it drying out (Picture: PA)

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