A Newquay artist has donated paintings to a marine conservation charity to help end whale and dolphin hunts off the Faroe Islands.

Mike Young, who owns Escape Surf School, is supporting Sea Shepherd whose mission is to defend, conserve and protect ocean wildlife and habitats. 

His painting of the octopus is due to be auctioned off.

Staff at the surf school have also taken part in beach cleans to support the charity.

Mike said: “We wanted to be involved with Sea Shepherd looking after our local beaches but more importantly to get the awareness out there what the charity does to protect our ocean and what lives in it.

“I have given Sea Shepherd two paintings to help in their direct protest to the ‘Grindadráp’ which is a savage hunt for whales and dolphins around the Faroe Islands. The hunt takes places between July and September and Sea Shepherd do their best to try and stop this by disrupting the hunt.  My paintings are my little bit I can do to help raise money and awareness to get more people to join together to stop this.”