Beachgoers rescue stranded 40ft humpback whale in Brazil

A huge crowd of people managed to reduce a stranded 40ft humpback whale after a mammoth joint effort - and the return of the high tide.

The whale became stranded on beach in the city of Buzios in south east Brazil.

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It has been successfully returned to the ocean thanks to the effort of hundreds of dozens of people who used shovels to dig into the sand to rescue it, reports the Telegraph.

According to Global News, a spokesman for the Buzios City Hall confirmed the whale had successfully been returned to the ocean and that it had been stranded since Wednesday afternoon.

The whale is believed to have been a juvenile, and weigh up to 15 tonnes.

The Standard reports that even a JCB digger was used to create a trench around the animal to let sea water flow in, before a sling was used to help lift it back into the South Atlantic Ocean.

The crowd cheered with joy when the whale was returned to the sea.