A wildlife group says dolphins off the South West coast need more protection to stop them dying in fishermen's nets.

The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) says too many of the mammals are being washed up dead on the region's beaches.

It has carried out a survey of dolphins and says there are more of the mammals moving into local waters.

But hundreds of dolphins have been found dead on the beaches of Cornwall and Devon and neighbouring French coasts during recent winters.

Dolphins are killed in their hundreds

These stranded bodies are just a fraction of the thousands of dolphins feared to be dying in the nets of trawlers that fish in the area at this time of year.

Mark Simmonds, science director of the WDCS, said: "The survey is an important step towards understanding these animals in order to protect them effectively.

"Little is known about small cetacean species in UK waters.

"The survey aimed to increase knowledge about the ecology, habitat preference and distribution of these animals."

The call follows a survey carried out by the WDCS and Greenpeace in October and November this year.

The groups, operating on board the Greenpeace flagship Rainbow Warrior, surveyed the coasts of Wales and then south and south-west England.

Calves sighted

More than 400 animals were sighted.

Bottlenose dolphins were seen in Cardigan Bay on numerous occasions and Risso's dolphins in the northern part of the bay.

In total four cetacean species were definitively identified - bottlenose, common and Risso's dolphins and harbour porpoises.

The northern part of Cardigan Bay and the Pembrokeshire coastline proved to be especially important for this species, with numerous sightings of juveniles and calves.

The results of the survey will be analysed over the winter and will provide information that will help to inform the development of protected areas for dolphins.