SO, George the dolphin is back in local waters. And his reception has highlighted the incredible place these magical creatures have in our consciousness.

This week we reported how the male bottlenose, a popular sight off the Dorset coast a few years ago, has returned.

The 10ft solitary dolphin was spotted in the Lymington river. More than 40 fascinated onlookers crowded the harbour master's pontoon and the town quay to watch the playful visitor.

Craig Thompson explained how he and his girlfriend Victoria Scott initially spotted the dolphin in the wake of a fishing vessel. They followed George up the river in their boat before jumping into the water to get closer to the friendly animal.

"It was absolutely amazing," he said. "When we were in the water it kept swimming close to us and following us when we swam off.

"It even let us touch its belly.

"If someone had said to me that I would get a chance to swim with a dolphin, I would never have believed them."

George has also been reported from near Kimmeridge, in the Purbecks.

But what is it about dolphins which draws humans to them in such an intoxicating fashion?

Dolphins appear in a number of Greek myths, invariably as helpers of humankind.

Today we seem to be able to identify with their character, their playfulness and their trademark smile. Some people splash out thousands of pounds on trips to exotic locations for the chance to swim with them. And touristy though it was, I thoroughly enjoyed a dalliance with Flipper and co during a visit to the British Virgin Islands. I was amazed not just by their intelligence but their sheer strength as they pulled me through the water.

The benefits to our psyche are so well documented, it even has a name: Dolphin Human Therapy.

Neurologically-impaired children in particular seem to respond in a positive way to close contact with dolphins after failing to respond to other kinds of therapy.

In the 1970s, David Nathanson, a clinical psychologist living in Florida found that children with Down's syndrome who had contact with dolphins learned up to four times faster, and remembered more of what they learned, than those in conventional classroom settings.

However, experts are advising the public to admire our George from afar.

Hampshire Wildlife Trust marine conservation officer Jolyon Chesworth said: "George is a curious animal and allows people to interact with it. It's great we are seeing dolphins but they are wild animals and they are very large and incredibly powerful.

"It is possible they get boisterous and they have injured swimmers in the past. Our advice is to admire him but from a distance and don't get in the water."

He urged boat owners to regard the dolphin code of conduct, at wdcs.org.