A Cork fisherman has described his anguish after one of three dolphins that recently made their home in the River Lee died in his nets.

Anthony Quilligan was fishing downriver from Cork city with his father Simon when they were surprised by the dolphin's sudden appearance.

"We were hauling the nets when I saw the dolphin jump out of the water about seven feet behind the net," Anthiony told the Evening Herald. 

"He went back under water and we started to haul the nets faster to get them out of the way, but I saw the net's floats go under and I knew he was caught."

He added: ""He was alive when we got him ashore. We were just getting the last bit of net off his tail, and I was holding his head up out of the water. We wanted to save the creature, but he died in my arms."

Herald.ie has more on the story HERE.