Time is running out for trapped whale

Concern is growing for the welfare of a whale which is tangled up in rope off the coast of Shetland.

Expert divers were on their way to help the humpback, but had to postpone the rescue attempt because of bad weather.

Coastguards say they got reports yesterday morning that the whale had become entangled in lobster pots on the north east side of Shetland.

Animal welfare charity, the Scottish SPCA and Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), launched a rescue operation but have so far been unable to find and help the mammal.

The whale is entangled in a creel line, a rope attached to cages on the seabed used to catch lobsters and crabs.

It's feared that the whale, which is estimated to be around 12 metres long and weigh 30 tonnes, may not survive if it's not saved soon.