A pod of bottlenose dolphins have been spotted off the north Norfolk coast. 

Photographer Chris Taylor happened to be flying a drone when he noticed splashing near the Eastern Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (EIFCA) rib.

After moving the drone closer, he realised the splashing was coming from a pod of 10 bottlenose dolphins swimming close to shore at West Runton.

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He said: "It's been a lifelong dream for me to film dolphins from the drone and I never thought it would be directly off our stretch of the coastline."

A spokesman for EIFCA confirmed that the dolphins approached them near Blakeney and followed them to Cley for an hour on Monday (August 14)

North Norfolk News: Bottlenose dolphins were spotted near West RuntonBottlenose dolphins were spotted near West Runton (Image: Chris Taylor)

North Norfolk News: Bottlenose dolphins have been spotted off the north Norfolk coastBottlenose dolphins have been spotted off the north Norfolk coast (Image: Chris Taylor)North Norfolk News: Dolphins are rarely seen off the Norfolk coastDolphins are rarely seen off the Norfolk coast (Image: Chris Taylor)

North Norfolk News: Drone footage has caught a pod of bottlenose dolphins off the north Norfolk coastDrone footage has caught a pod of bottlenose dolphins off the north Norfolk coast (Image: Chris Taylor)

They then reappeared near the boat at West Runton and continued to swim around the vessel and follow them for some time.

More commonly seen off the coast of Cornwall or west Scotland, dolphins are a rare sight in Norfolk with previous sightings being few and far between.