MINEHEAD golfers Jenny Holland and Sarah Hill took their eye off the ball during a knockout match this week - to rescue a stranded porpoise. The pair were at the 12th tee on the town's course on Monday evening when ladies' captain Jenny turned to take in the glorious views near Dunster Beach. "It's always fantastic to look out seaward at this spot but I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw a porpoise on the sand," she said. "It was being pecked at by several seagulls so Sarah and I halted the game and rushed down to the shore." The porpoise was in just a small puddle of water on the beach and as it was a hot evening the women's first thoughts were to get it nearer the water's edge. "It was wriggling and it had a small cut on its belly from the seagulls but otherwise it seemed all right," said Jenny. "I know there are porpoises out towards Hurlstone Point but I've never seen one on the beach before." She and Sarah enlisted the help of a passerby to phone the golf clubhouse and together with two men, who luckily happened to come along the nearby footpath, began to try and move the stranded mammal towards the sea. "It was extremely heavy and we were only able to move it a few inches at a time," said Jenny. "I don't know how much it weighed but it was about five feet in length and we had trouble even getting our arms underneath it. "We didn't really know what to do for the best but the tide was going out and we just thought we had to get it to water." It took the rescuers around three quarters of an hour to complete the operation. 'As soon as we got to the edge of the water it began flapping and once it was in about three feet of water it just swam off like a rocket," said Jenny. Meanwhile, back at the clubhouse staff had contacted the coastguard and the RSPCA had been alerted. And within a couple of hours a team from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue, a UK-based organisation which provides a 24-hour marine animal rescue service, had arrived at the club. Jenny said she and Sarah had begun to wonder if they had done the right thing by moving the porpoise. And BDMLR local co-ordinator Julie Kaye said it was important that medics and vets had the chance to check mammals over thoroughly before deciding whether they were well enough to return to the sea or needed treatment. "There are many reasons why a marine mammal may strand," she said. "This is often due to them being ill or distressed. If there is an illness present and they are put straight back into the water, this could result in further suffering or even drowning "We are always grateful to the public for showing their concern and we are always willing to respond as soon as possible for requests for assistance." The organisation's emergency number is 01825 765546 and golf club members and walkers on the footpath between Minehead and Dunster are now being asked to keep a look-out in case the porpoise returns. Back on the course, the rescuers took up their clubs again and continued their game, which was won by Sarah. "We were fairly even before the drama began but I just couldn't concentrate afterwards and kept looking out to sea," said Jenny. "It's not exactly the sort of thing you expect to happen when you go for a round of golf."