bottle-nosed whale

STRANDED: a sperm whale' RESCUE BID: the Northern bottle-nosed whale in the River Thames

THE rescue attempt of the Thames bottle-nosed whale was branded "a circus act" last night by wildlife expert Terry Nutkins.

The world looked on as the rescuers tried so desperately to reunite the bottle-nosed whale with her companions.

But the skeleton of the young 19ft bottle-nosed whale will not go on public display at the London attraction.

Paul Jepson, of the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), who is an expert on whale and dolphin "strandings", hoped to find clues to explain why the 15ft northern bottle-nosed whale became lost.

Paul Jepson of the Zoological Society of London hopes to find clues which might explain why the 15ft northern bottle-nosed whale became lost in the capital's water course.

A spokesman for the charity group organising its rescue from the river in central London said the bottle-nosed whale went into convulsions as it was taken by barge into the Thames Estuary and died at around 7pm.

Willy the bottle-nosed whale, who was just two hours from the open sea, suffered a series of fits around 7pm after it was pulled out of the river.

While the Thames may be home to a northern bottle-nosed whale for the first time since records began, the river has previously played host to a variety of unusual visitors.

The 18ft northern bottle-nosed whale managed to get through the Thames barrier and made it as far as Chelsea's Albert Bridge.

The 15ft-long northern bottle-nosed whale swam into Central London yesterday making its way as up river as far as Chelsea.

THE plight of the female bottle-nosed whale which died after losing its way in the Thames enthralled the nation.

Rescuers battle in vain to save the 15ft northern bottle-nosed whale in the River Thames.

The hope was that Willy - a 15ft Northern bottle-nosed whale - would be well enough to be released back into the sea.

Fears were growing for the 15ft northern bottle-nosed whale, as experts believe it may become stranded when the tide changed last night.