VIDEO: Fisherman enjoys close-up encounter with humpback whale off Shetland coast

A fisherman has relived the jaw-dropping moment he has a close encounter with a humpback whale off the coast of Shetland.

Peter Reid and his crew were fishing for scallops at Yell Sound on Monday when he spotted the majestic creature breaching the surface of the water.

More commonly found off the west coast humpbacks are known for their distinctive body shape with long pectoral fins and bumps on their head.

Wanting to remember the rare occurrence, the 31-year-old quickly grabbed his phone and started recording its movements.

The footage he captured shows the mammal breaking through the water’s surface numerous times while getting close to the boat.

Mr Reid said: “We spotted the lone humpback whale on our way off fishing at Yell Sound.

“It was an amazing experience to witness, I have seen three humpbacks before, but not as close as this.”

The videos have been watched more than 3,000 times since being uploaded to Facebook.

Another rare sighting was captured on camera in May by the Aberdeen Harbour Tours.

Whilst making an emergency repair to another boat, the crew spotted a humpback swimming in the waters of the North Sea near the Bridge of Don area.