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Tuesday 25 Apr 2006

FROLICKING FLIPPER FREED IN RAPID RAILWAY RESCUE

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National

A dramatic rescue mission took place in South Cumbria when rail workers sprung into action to save a struggling baby dolphin.  Engineers on the £14 million refurbishment of Leven Viaduct called in a hovercraft when a young dolphin was spotted struggling in shallow water at low tide. The dolphin was humanely captured, put on board the hovercraft and taken to deeper water and she swam away. Network Rail’s Keith Lumley, who was taking a group of visitors to the worksite when the dolphin was spotted, said: “The poor creature had obviously lost her way and was floundering in the shallow water.  She looked like a baby dolphin and there was no sign of her mother. “The workers were concerned that the sparks from the work would frighten the dolphin, and work was suspended while the hovercraft set the dolphin on the path to freedom.  Whilst safety of passengers and rail workers is Network Rail’s main priority, dolphins come pretty high up on the list.” Although workers on the viaduct wear life jackets, the hovercraft – is on standby as a precaution. A hovercraft is used because a conventional boat would not be able to navigate easily through the mudflats and shallow water of low tides. Work on the viaduct is continuing well and is on course to be completed on time, to allow the railway line between Grange-over-Sands and Barrow-in-Furness to re-open in mid-July. The line has been closed since the end of March while the work takes place.