Wildlife experts are hoping to refloat a whale which has become stranded on a beach.

The 20-foot minke was spotted on a beach west of Elie in Fife by a passer-by just before 4pm on Friday.

Aberdeen Coastguard said that coastguard teams from St Andrews and Leven were at the scene.

A team of around eight people from British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) are leading the rescue operation.

It is hoped that the sub-adult minke whale can be refloated later in the evening when the tide is high enough.

A BDMLR spokeswoman said: "The whale's body condition is fair and it is not injured so we're going to try and refloat it on the high tide.

"At the moment the team is preparing the equipment and getting the pontoons ready to refloat it.

"We are keeping the whale as calm as possible and keeping people away."

She said that a vet will be coming to check the marine mammal over, while the Scottish SPCA have also been alerted.