SENNEN COVE CHRISTMAS SWIM 2011 COULD BE CHALLENGING!

Killer whales have been seen off a headland in north Cornwall, a naturalist has reported. Dom Clarke, 25, saw what he believed was a mother and calf about 100m off Trevose Head, near Padstow.

Mr Clarke saw the whales on 26 November while walking his dog. He said he was "amazed" with his find.

A spokesperson from Cornwall Wildlife Trust said the species was an "occasional visitor" although it was not reported every year. They confirmed there had been a few reported sightings of killer whales off Cornwall this autumn.

Killer whales are also known as orcas, can grow up to 32ft (9.7m) in length and weigh up to nine tonnes. They are mainly found around Iceland, Norway and northern Scotland, but occasionally seen as far south as the Atlantic coasts of Spain and Portugal.

Have you got an excuse for not swimming on Christmas Day yet?

An artists impression of what this year's swim could be like!

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