A POD of 20 dolphins have been spotted near the pier.

Ray Burn spotted the bottlenose dolphins near the West Pier in Brighton at about 5pm on Saturday, May 14.

Ray, a charter boat skipper, who skippers Grey Viking 2 with Brighton Charter Fishing, caught them on camera.

He said: "It was so close to the shore, level with the end of the marina and the pier.

"And it was the perfect day to see them because of the weather.

Ray, who runs the Burn Image as a photographer, said:"It is always easier to see the in calmer seas.

"This year I have spotted them three times and lst year 15 times."

A spokesman from Sussex Dolphin Project said there were many sightings in the area between the West Pier and Brighton Marina each year.

But he said: “We believe this is likely down to more eyes being on the water in that area, rather than more dolphins in the area specifically.

“We believe the pod were hunting in the area based on the information we received.

“The pod size of 20 is within our usual range, and sightings are now beginning to become more regular as we progress through the first month of the sightings season.

“The area between the West Pier and Brighton Marina receives a high percentage of sightings each year, often quite close to shore.”

Earlier this month, four bottlenose dolphins were spotted about three to four miles offshore between Lancing and Shoreham.

A similar-sized pod were also spotted near Ferring.

“The sighting is of a pod of bottlenose dolphins, which are the most commonly sighted species in Sussex waters,” the spokesman said at the time.

“They have been seen at all times of year, but we see an increase in sightings through the spring and summer months.

The spokesman also said the two sightings may be linked.

In March, a pair of bottlenose dolphins were spotted about 500 metres west of Brighton Marina.

The month before, a male common dolphin was spotted on the beach in Hove.

During the summer, the Sussex Dolphin Project can receive multiple sightings a day, especially if a pod is travelling close to the shore.

Last summer, dolphins, seals and even a whale were seen off the Sussex coast.