A COUPLE made a remarkable discovery when they stumbled across the world's rarest turtle on a local beach.

Ash James, and his wife Samantha, made the amazing discovery of a Kemp's ridley sea turtle on Talacre beach on Sunday.

Also known as the Atlantic ridley sea turtle, it is the rarest and the world's most endangered species of sea turtle.

North Wales Chronicle:

Ash, from Holywell, was walking his dog on the beach when he found the turtle.

"Ash thought it was dead as it was motionless," Samantha said.

But the pair decided to report the finding to the British Marine Life Rescue.

Ash then returned to the beanch with Sam, and their nine-year-old son, Gethin.

North Wales Chronicle: Ash and Samantha's son, Gethin, was amazed by the finding. Ash and Samantha's son, Gethin, was amazed by the finding.

Specialists attended and asked them to the locate the turtle - which was, remarkably, still alive - despite being thousands of miles away from where it should be.

Adults primarily live in the Gulf of Mexico, so Ash and Sam named it Raphael.

It was in a state of cold-water shock, but when it was gently prodded it began to move.

North Wales Chronicle:

Raphael was then collected by Anglesey Sea Zoo - where it'll spend the next few months recuperating before being released back into its natural habitat in the Gulf of Mexico.

It is thought the turtle was pushed way off course by Atlantic storms which affected the jetstream.

Sam added: "It was astonishing to find such an amazing creature on our local beach - we all have our fingers crossed that he survives."