RichB

FROM crowd pleaser to crime fighter - it's all in a day's work for George the dolphin.

When thieves fled from a jewellery shop with rings worth £2,000, never in their dreams would they have imagined their downfall to be a playful dolphin.

But in a scene that would have made Flipper proud, the fearless mammal helped police to halt their getaway and actually net the three criminals.

And now, as a result of his brave actions, the fun-loving creature is being hailed a hero.

The drama unfolded around 4pm on Wednesday when police received reports of a jewellery ****** at Macrow and sons, Station Road, Swanage.

It is believed a man entered the shop and requested to look at a tray of rings.

The female manageress showed the rings to him by placing them on her fingers.

He snatched three of the rings from her hand and fled the shop into a waiting blue Mitsubishi car containing two other men.

Officers were immediately alerted to the theft and began procedures to block the two escape routes out of the picturesque town - the chain ferry and the A351 road to Corfe Castle.

During the excitement George the dolphin, who had been entertaining beach-goers at Bournemouth Pier during the day, had headed to the ferry and was playing by the mouth of the harbour.

He was flanked by several lifeguards, trying to usher him away out to sea, while warning boats of his presence.

But the playful dolphin would not move from the chain ferry's path, helping delay the boat's departure and allowing police to board the vessel and arrest the three men.

Inspector Nick Maton of Swanage Police said: "We arrived at the ferry just as it was about to sail. We are thankful to George, who by swimming in the channel, actually enabled us to make the crossing and arrest the suspects."

The three men have been bailed pending further inquiries. The stolen rings were not located and Sgt Maton believes they may have been thrown overboard.

He joked: "In the true tradition of the Flipper films I did ask George if he would search the harbour for the rings, but unfortunately he was more interested in playing in the water!"

Nick Gosney, operations manager for the Bramble Bush Bay chain ferry, said that George had become a regular visitor and had been spotted swimming under the chain and even squirting water at passengers.

EarthKind's conservation and wildlife officer Jenny Waldron, who has been monitoring George to protect his safety, praised the dolphin for his unwitting act of bravery.

"He was just having a bit of fun," she said. "But it looks like he has helped to catch these jewellery thieves. He is my hero."