Dolphins filmed jumping for joy off Cornish coast as Britain basks in heatwave

Dolphins frolic and jump for joy in this astonishing footage filmed off the Cornish coast as the UK basks in a June heatwave.

The video captured the only pod of bottlenoses living in British waters as they followed a tourist boat for more than a mile.

It was filmed by Marine Discovery Penzance, a wildlife excursion company which was taking a group of visitors on a boat trip near Land's End on Sunday.

“They were pretty spectacular,” said company owner Hannah Jones.

The 43-year-old told South West News Service: “We were heading that way and we saw them coming towards us.

"It was obvious that the dolphins were tracking around Lands End which they often do, we just waited and they came around the boat."

She added: "We had to turn back because we were running out of time and they came with us.

"They were bow riding the vessel, there were a couple of leaps. We slowly motored back, they got about a mile further on and turned back.”

The family of 10 has recently been designated the UK’s only bottlenose dolphins by Natural England – although there are plenty of common dolphins living in pods off the south west coast and the Hebrides in Scotland.

The footage comes as Britain prepares for the hottest day of the year so far, with temperatures set to push past 30C on Tuesday and stay sizzling until at least Thursday.