A whale of an order

A similar table is already used for operating on horses

A Somerset company has designed an inflatable operating table for sick and injured killer whales.

Snell 2000, based in Castle Cary, spent a year designing the three-foot high table ordered by a marine centre in Valencia, Spain.

A similar 'inflatable animal support system' is already used for surgery on horses, and the next design could be one to fit a giant turtle or an elephant, say the company.

To date, Snell 2000's designs have been exported to over 40 countries.

The company - set up in 1991 - designs and manufactures a range of products including these veterinary systems, as well as stone splitting machines used for building and quarrying.