A PLUCKY group of dolphins has rescued a British swimmer from a 6-foot shark that was preparing a deadly attack.
Adam Walker claims the heroic creatures formed a protective circle around him to fend off the underwater beast in New Zealand.
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The stunned fellow, from Nottingham, had taken to the open water hoping to fulfill his dream of swimming with dolphins in 2014.
The majestic mammals managed to exceed even Adam’s expectations after frightening off a great white shark that was heading for him.
He claims a friend told him not to worry about sharks in the area, promising him a fearless dive.
But lurking in the depths of the Cook Strait was a 6ft beast, chasing an oblivious Adam hovering above.
He was already battling fierce waves and described the dive as “like swimming in a washing machine”.
The Briton could hardly believe his eyes when a group of dolphins loomed up and started swimming in circles around him.
He believes the intuitive animals noticed the deadly predator and chose to keep it safe during its open water swim.
In a Facebook post describing his extraordinary experience at the time, Adam wrote: “Dream come true, swimming with dolphins for over an hour… open water swimming doesn’t get any better than this!
“I’d like to think they protected me and led me home. This dive will stay with me forever.”
He admitted that he didn’t even notice the huge shark while in the water and only became aware when he got out.
The swimmer told the Marlborough Express he wasn’t most pleased with his friend after he cut to death, admitting he “tried him when I got out”.
Dolphins are often targeted by sharks in the ocean and rely on each other for protection.
They tend to retaliate against attacks by using their large snout to prick the predators, poking their underbelly or gills.
The organization Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) said: “The main advantage dolphins have against shark attacks is safety in numbers; they stay together in pods and defend each other from a shark’s attack by chasing and ramming it. .
“Dolphins can protect vulnerable members of their pods and extended families, such as young dolphins and injured or sick dolphins.”
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