MINKE whales have been spotted in the Firth of Forth and close to Belhaven Bay.

East Lothian Council Countryside Rangers confirmed there had been “several sightings” of the creatures during the summer.

A spokesperson for the group said: “They can be very inquisitive like this one was, spotted from a yacht just off Belhaven Bay.

“They are the smallest of the baleen whales we get around the UK, reaching between seven to nine metres.

“They feed by taking a huge mouthful of water containing fish, then push the water out though the baleen leaving just the fish in their mouths.

“This is known as ‘gulp feeding’.”