
Their bodies lie beached on the dark shore, large slash marks penetrate the neck and sides of the whale as the blood mixes with the cold water.

Known as the grindadráp, the brutal slaughtering of pilots whales in the Danish owned Faroe Islands took place yesterday. As many as 250 whales were reportedly massacred on two beaches in Bøur and Tórshavn as locals used spinal lances to slay all of the pilot whales.

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT

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Killing: Locals wade out in wetsuits and use ropes to catch the whales before stabbing them with spinal lances

Prepared: Running down the beaches, the locals prepare to drag the whales in and kill them

Witnesses: Slain on the beaches, hundreds of locals come down to watch the brutal slaughter

The horrific scenes were filmed by activists from Sea Shepherd, who describe themselves as a non-profit, marine wildlife conservation organisation.

As the innocent whales are forced to swim towards the beaches, the locals begin to run down from the jetty towards the sea.

Realising they are unable to escape, the whales slow down as the fishermen in their power boats and dinghies begin to close in on the large school of whales.

The locals, many of whom are dressed in full wetsuits and bobble hats, wade into the water and begin to violently drag the distressed animals up the beach.

Pool of blood: The killing scree was carried out at two beaches, Bøur and Tórshavn in the Faroe Islands

No escape: After funneling the whales towards the beach, some of the fishermen use ropes to drag the remaining animals towards the waiting locals

Massacre: The annual grindadráp takes place at the Faroe Islands, where whaling is not illegal but remains controversial

Slain: Tied down, none of the whales are able to escape the locals spinal lances and are quickly slaughtered

Contemplating: Local Faroese men reflect in the bloodstained water after the horrendous hunt, which is known as the grindadráp

Massacred: Using a specially made spinal lance, the stranded pilot whales were slaughtered on the beaches

Using a spinal lance to sever the animal's spinal cord and its main blood supply to the brain, the locals begin to cut down the animals.

The water quickly begins to turn red with all the blood as one by one, the whales are ruthlessly slaughtered by the locals.

Close footage shows some of the huntsmen laughing and smiling, droplets of blood dripping down from their sweaty brows.

Each year, this horrendous event is carried out across the archipelago of the Faroes Island. Five activists from Sea Shepherd were arrested after attempting to disrupt the hunt.

No escape: Fishing boats and speed boats encircle the whales, leading them to the beaches and waiting huntsmen

Resistance: One Sea Shepherd activist runs on to the beach and is arrested by a police officer after protesting against the hunt

Arrested: Five Sea Shepherd activists were arrested by police on the Faroe Islands as they tried to stop the hunt

Extinguished: The bodies of the pilot whales lie still in the water as the islands begins to get dark in the Faroe Islands

Wyanda Lublink, captain of the Brigitte Bardot told Sea Shepherd activists that he believed two Danish naval vessels, HDMS Triton and HDMS Knud Rasmussen were in Bøur when the hunt took place.

Captain Lublink said: 'It was perfectly clear to me that the Danish Navy was present at Bøur to guard the grindadráp, and that the slaughter would proceed with the full consent of the Danish Navy.

'How Denmark - an anti-whaling member nation of the European Union, subject to laws prohibiting the slaughter of cetaceans – can attempt to justify its collaboration in this slaughter is incomprehensible' he said.

Carnage: The pilot whale is not an endangered species and has been hunted annually in the Faroe Islands

Killing zone: Using ropes to pull the pilot whales up the beach, the locals begin to mercilessly kill the whales

Consumed: The dead whales will be butchered, with the meat and flubber being used for food and grease

Sea of blood: The water quickly turns red with the gushing blood from the great animal's bodies

Allowed: Although whaling is illegal in Denmark, it is allowed and celebrated annually in the Faroe islands

Whilst the pilot whale may not be endangered, the level of brutality and depraved violence is shocking.

The Faroese have been carrying out the annual hunt for hundreds of years, and although whaling is illegal in Denmark, it is allowed in the Faroe Islands.

All the hunted whales are used for their food, with pilot whale meat and flubber being the main products used by the Faroese.