Whale swims up river

Hawkes Bay conservation workers are searching for a juvenile pygmy sperm whale that swam 800m up the Nuhaka River and into the Waimauku Stream.

Sonny Haenga, whose property borders the river, was the first to spot the whale.

"We had all the children from round here and about 10 family members having a good afternoon looking at him. He looked pretty tired. He tried beaching himself a few times," Mr Haenga said.

The Department of Conservation sent staff to the river yesterday but the whale had gone by the time they arrived.