Rescuers free a whale in London's River Thames

London's River Thames had an unusual visitor on Sunday - a small whale stranded in the southwest of the city.

Media reports say that the whale, believed to be a minke, was first noticed on Sunday evening at Richmond Lock and Weir.

Video posted on social media showed a man dousing the whale with water before a team of rescuers arrived by boat.

Local media reported that the rescuers worked into the night to free the animal.

The BBC said that the whale was successfully moved to a safer location after nearly four hours.

It also reported that the animal will be assessed by a vet to check it is healthy enough to be released.