On this day in Yorkshire: The original Free Willie
EXPERTS from Flamingo Park Zoo at Kirby Misperton near Pickering were involved in a search for missing white whale that had been spotted blowing near flooded fields in the swollen River Trent at Gainsborough - 80 miles from the sea.
The whale was believed to be one of two which were washed overboard as they were being transported from Canada to a marine park at Cleethorpes.
Police in Gainsborough told local inhabitants: “He is harmless, please don’t harm him.”
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Hide AdIan Gibb of Flamingo Park Zoo said: “We believe the whale is one of two lost in the North sea. It would have to swim up the Humber from the sea and down the Trent to get to the town but it could easily do that while the river is flooded.
“Everything points to it being one of ours and we’ve nicknamed it Willie.”