Men Find Dead Dolphin in Garden - Dorset
Mystery surrounds the discovery of a dead dolphin in the garden of two
sailors in Dorset who live on a steep hill half a mile from the sea.
Mike Elliott, 28, and housemate Gary Harvey, woke to find the 3ft
dolphin at their home in Portland on Thursday.
The mammal appeared to have two puncture wounds in its stomach as if
it had been speared.
Police carried out house-to-house inquiries but said there was no
evidence a crime had been committed.
Mr Harvey, 23, said: "I woke up, looked out of my window and saw what
appeared to be a dolphin in the garden.
"I went downstairs to have a closer look and that confirmed it - there
was a three foot dolphin in the back garden.
"I really don't know how it got there. I was pretty amazed. I thought
I was dreaming to start with.
"There was no tidal wave and we live about half a mile from the sea
quite a bit above sea level at the top of Portland so it must have
been dumped there."
The two men, both Royal Navy marine engineers, called police who made
enquiries about the dolphin.
"There was no evidence a criminal offence had been committed," a
Dorset Police spokesman added.
Environmental health officers from Weymouth and Portland Borough
Council were contacted and removed the mammal, which died of unknown
causes.
BBC News: 18th July 2008
