Minke whale spotted by kayakers in the North Sea off Sunderland

Mark Taylor and his brother Nigel regularly kayak in the area and, at about 7am on Sunday, August 11 they noticed the whale out past Roker Pier.

The Sea Watch Foundation has told the Echo that minkes can be spotted off the North East coast between, approximately, the Farne Islands and Whitby in North Yorkshire.

They follow shoals of herring or sometimes sprat, which swim between Scotland and East Anglia and are more abundant at around this time of year.

While it is quite rare to see one in the North Sea at Sunderland, sightings are not unheard of and it is possible that the animal might be spotted here again if there is food for it.

Minke whales can grow up to 30ft in length, although average length for an adult is about 20 to 25ft.

They each have a dorsal fin and a distinctive white band on each flipper. They can remain underwater for up to 20 minutes.

They pose no threat to humans.

Mark said: "The whale did a circle around the bay at Seaburn, then we noticed it heading back across the bay and it surfaced right beside us before going under our kayak.

"We've seen dolphins quite a few times while out kayaking and heard people talking about minke whales, but this was our first sighting."

If you have taken any pictures of minke whales off Sunderland, please share them with the Echo.