Shorewatch thrilled as Really Wild dolphins turn up! (pic: James A Killeen/jekster.com)

IT WAS SMILING Faces all round for bank holiday visitors to one of Moray’s most alluring attractions when the Moray Firth’s dolphin population duly obliged with their own show.

The Scottish Dolphin Centre at Spey Bay hosted their ‘Really Wild Fest’ at which visitors took part in the centre’s regular ‘Shorewatch’ sessions in the hope that the dolphins would oblige.

They did – twice, as one of Moray’s most alluring but unpredictable attractions put on a show that left Dolphin Centre manager Alison Rose and her guests thrilled.

“We had two groups of dolphins appearing during the day, one in the morning and another in the afternoon,” Alison said, adding: “The children who were lucky enough to see them got really excited.”

The day-long event had attracted hundreds of families to the centre where they took part in a series of activities, including a short race that illustrates the Blue Whale, the largest creatures that ever lived. Blue Whales grow to 100feet long – hence the 100ft race to demonstrate their enormous size to the children.

Anyone interested in joining the Shorewatch initiative, which uses members of the public to keep a close eye all along the Moray Firth and note appearances of whale and dolphin populations, is asked to contact the centre on 01343 829065 or by emailing shorewatch@whales.org.