A HUGE humpback whale was spotted off the coast of Aberdour on Sunday.

The mammal, nicknamed ‘Barney’ because of the barnacles on his body, has been a regular visitor to the Forth. British Divers Marine Life Rescue were first alerted about the whale before Christmas.

Spokesman Paul Smith said: “For the last few years it has not been uncommon to see humpback whales at this time of year in the Forth so there’s a good chance you’ll see one.

"They will come in if they want to feed.

"We're not sure if it’s on a migration route or it’s an adolescent who just doesn’t have the capacity to go on at the moment and needs to feed.

"There are a few options but there are no concerns at the moment. People have seen a lot of whales in UK waters at the moment, up in Angus and Shetland and also down in England.”

A baby seal was also found at Dalgety Bay on Sunday and has been taken in by the Scottish SPCA.

The charity's Steven Gray confirmed: “We did attend after a report to our helpline of a sick seal pup.

"The seal was lethargic and emaciated, weighing just 18kg. The seal is in our care receiving treatment for dehydration and is recovering well.

"After some rehabilitation and TLC we are hoping the pup will soon be able to return to the wild where they belong.

“Please do not approach a seal that has come ashore, or attempt to put it back in the water.

"It is normal for seals to spend time on land, so please keep a safe distance and keep any dogs on their lead. If you find any injured wildlife please call our confidential animal help line on 0300 999 999.”