A large seal washed up on a Merseyside beach and was left lying in the sand for around six hours.
The seal was left "stranded" on New Brighton Beach at around midday on November 10, after the tide had brought the sea mammal in. Members of the public were quick to alert British Divers Marine Life Rescue, who despatched a rescue team.
Laura Hall was among those who stayed with the seal until it was led back into the sea after dark. She told the ECHO: "Its mating season and as they don't eat during this time, he was visibly underweight.
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"There were no major concerns other than he had put himself into an area with high volume of walkers and dogs. The marine rescue team were amazing and I honestly couldn't thank them enough for coming to assist and getting the seal back to the safety of the river.
"They used thick wooden boards to encourage the seal across the beach, which is no easy feat. The seal was defensive and aggressive, bur they did well to encourage him forward."
The rescue team are keen to alert people of the dangers of approaching a stranded seal, as they may become aggressive and wounds inflicted by then are likely to become infected due to the bacteria. A spokesperson for British Divers Marine Life Rescue said: "We were alerted to a seal in New Brighton at around midday yesterday. On arrival, our Marine Mammal Medics found an adult male resting on the beach.
"They monitored his behaviour and the public for the afternoon in order to ensure that he wasn't disturbed. It appears this individual could have possibly been the same seal we've seen recently in North Wales. After dark, the seal returned to the sea under the observation of our medics.
"We would like to take this opportunity to remind the public that seals are wild, unpredictable animals and should not be approached. If you encounter a seal, please follow our guidance on our website on 'what to do if you find...' and if you need further advice, call our 24/7 rescue hotline on 01825 765546 (option 1)."
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