What an amazing sight!
This video has captured a pod of dolphins happily playing off the coast of Tynemouth.
Taken on Sunday by Sean Nixon, it shows around half a dozen dolphins in the water.
Sean was on a sailing boat, Amphora, with his partner Gilly when they encountered the wonderful scene.
This was the first time the couple had sailed into the sea. Before this, they had just motored up and down the river between Royal Quays and Newcastle.
Sean said: "Sunday was our first venture out to sea and under sail. We sailed as far as St Mary’s Lighthouse before heading home.
"We were about a mile offshore. Approaching Tynemouth Longsands, heading back towards the piers, we noticed something in the water about a hundred yards or so away.
"They quickly closed the gap and in no time they were happily playing around us like you see in the video.
"We turned around and headed north again until they swam off to check out a small fishing boat."
Today's must-read news, sport and entertainment
He said it was difficult to estimate how many dolphins were in the water but says there may have been around 25 in the area at the time.
"Apart from the half dozen or so that entertained us," he added. "There were also other groups that were clearly visible but kept their distance.
"You can see these if you look carefully in the video. A local dolphin spotter who contacted me reckons it was a pod of about 25."
The video has been shared hundreds of times on social media.
