Council canceled fireworks for fear of upsetting WHALE

Some 15,000 people were expected to attend the exhibition on the banks of the Thames Estuary in Kent, where Benny, the Beluga, has been feeding for nearly a month.

But the Gravesham Borough Council has made the extraordinary decision to cancel its annual celebration – in case the whale gets angry.

David Turner, Gravesham District Council Leader, said, "The priority is to protect Benny during his visit to Gravesend.

"Every effort will be made to reprogram this extremely popular event, but a decision can not be made now because no one knows how long Benny will stay in residence here.

"While we understand that this also disappoints the thousands of residents and visitors who enjoy our fantastic fireworks every year, we must ensure that our privileged visitors are safe and secure."

The firework was scheduled to take place on November 2nd in a Thames barge, in the recreation area by the river, in the city.

But the whale has been seen several times on the river where it feeds near the barges since September 25th.

The chairman of the board said the decision was made following the advice of the Port Authority of London and urged residents not to organize fireworks near Benny.

Martin Garside, of the Port Authority of London, said the council had made a "good call".

He added, "This whale species has never been seen as far south. I would really like him to swim at home today. "

Belugas can grow up to 20 feet long and are generally comfortable in the icy waters of Greenland, Svalbard or the Barents Sea.

The British Divers Marine Life Rescue dropped a hydrophone in the water to try to follow the whale earlier this month.

Director of Operations Stephen Marsh said the experts could only watch and protect Benny, as letting it slip to free him was too risky.