Starving seal rescued from beach

The rescued baby seal is at a specialist RSPCA centre in Hastings

A starving seal pup has been rescued from the beach at Eastbourne after being spotted by members of the public.

The pup was first seen on Tuesday night and the RSPCA advised it should be left alone in case its mother was nearby.

But Eastbourne Borough Council called in British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) on Wednesday morning when she had not appeared.

The pup was caught and taken to the RSPCA's Mallydams Wood Centre in Hastings, which has seal facilities.

We hope the seal will recover from his injuries and start putting on weight again Trevor Weeks

"The seal was emaciated and dehydrated," said BDMLR medic Stephen Marsh.

"You could see its pelvis and it had wrinkled skin where it had lost weight."

The pup had a large abscess on its upper lip, which burst during the rescue.

"We hope the seal will recover from his injuries and start putting on weight again," said Trevor Weeks of East Sussex Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Service.

"Once fit and healthy he will be released back on the Sussex coastline."

He said seals were becoming more common along the Sussex coast with an adult grey seal spotted at Newhaven Harbour only weeks ago.