A POD of dolphins were photographed playfully swimming off the Dorset coast.

Don Williams, a Dorset Camera Club member, was sailing along the Dorset coast with City Cruises Poole, when he came across the photogenic creatures.

He was driving the Solent Scene towards Swanage Pier as the dolphins glided alongside the vessel.

The dolphins are believed to be bottlenose dolphins.

Dorset Wildlife Trust says bottlenose dolphins are the species most frequently observed in Dorset.

On its website, it reads: 'These robust dolphins tend to spend more time inshore than other species, making them easier to spot from the land as well as from the sea.'

Speaking on the discovery, he said: “They were under the boat, following all around us under the boat, because they get under the bow of the boat.

“At this particular time, I was worried because they got quite close to the chain ferry and what we don't want is them coming into the harbour, because usually they end up not surviving if they get inside the harbour.

“So, I just stopped the boat for about 20 minutes just outside the harbour, and they're just sort of playing around us, posing.”