STUNNING footage has been captured of a humpback whale leaping out of the River Clyde.

Many locals reported seeing the marine mammal off Gourock last weekend, including kayaker Chris Carmichael, who filmed a close encounter with the incredible creature while out on the Clyde. 

Video captured by shamanic healer Dawn Petherick has also emerged, which shows the whale breaching the water off the coast of Dunoon. 

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When Dawn spied the mammal, she rushed to Dunoon to follow it through the town. 

She then linked up with her friends Jason Coles, a marine mammals medic and owner of scuba diving and boating company Wreckspeditions, and his partner Claire Hallybone, who had been tasked with tracking the humpback to help identify it. 

From Claire and Jason's boat Dawn was able to capture incredible footage of the giant animal breaching the surface multiple times and, on one occasion, leaping fully out of the water. 

Dawn says the whale has been classified as a first time visitor to the Clyde and has been given an ID tag by Scottish Humpback ID. 

She told the Tele seeing the animal had been a special experience. 

She said: "I have a big birthday coming up and going whale watching is on my list of things to do to celebrate this year, I just never imagined that I would be able to do that on my doorstep.

"Seeing it breach and hearing it breathing was very emotional and it’s still sinking in.

"It was such a special gift of a day, I feel truly blessed that I got the opportunity to be out on the water with Jason and Claire."

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The animal is believed to be in good condition but slightly underweight, with experts pleased to see it coming to the Clyde to feed. 

Jason Coles added: "In all my years on the water I could only dream of seeing such a beautiful creature in action.

"People pay so much money to go to far off locations to see such incredible wildlife, but to have it appear on your doorstep is something that will live long in the memory.

"It's a testament to how healthy the west coast waters really are."