Seal pup released back to wild

Seals like Sandy are not common to the south-west coast

A seal pup, washed up on a beach in Somerset more than two weeks ago, has been released back into the sea at Penryn Bay in north Wales.

The four-month-old common seal was found lying on the sands at Brean Down, exhausted and unable to crawl back to the sea.

The seal, named Sandy, by staff at the Secret World animal centre faces a four-hour journey to the Welsh coast.

Staff said he was strong enough after a diet of eight mackerel a day.

Lisa Hills, a veterinary nurse at the rescue centre, said: "He was a little bit traumatised when we picked him up, when he was on the beach originally.

"There were quite a few people around him.

"But he should be fine, so we don't really have any concerns once he's back where he should be."

Seals are not native to the south-west coast - common seals like Sandy are mostly seen off the coasts of Wales or Ireland.