Rescued pups released back in sea off Isle of man

The three pups - Coley, Pollock and Haddock - were nursed back to health

Three dying seal pups, found washed up on the Isle of Man coastline, have been released back into the wild.

The small creatures were discovered with severe malnutrition after the winter storms forced them on to land a few months ago.

Now six-months-old and three times bigger in size, they have been nursed back to health by the Manx Society for the Protection of Animals (MSPCA).

Jenny Corran from the MSPCA said: "They would have died without our help."

Named Coley, Pollock and Haddock, they have regained their strength thanks to a diet of herring fillets, antibiotics and vitamins pills.

Now he is such an independent boy, it is wonderful to see and watch and him Jenny Corran, MSPCA

They were released at Pooill Vaish on Wednesday.

Ms Corran, who is also the seal manager at the MSPCA said: "They would have starved to death, they lose all their strength and their willpower and they wouldn't have gone back to sea.

"In fact even if they had attempted to go back out to sea they would have been too weak to swim, they have to learn to catch the fish and they wouldn't have been able to do that.

"Coly was the best, a very cuddly little seal pup and you wanted to pick him up and nurse him, but now he is such an independent boy, it is wonderful to see and watch and him."

The MSPCA is funded by donations. It costs more than £360 a week alone just to feed the three pups.