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Seal found in Merseyside field: rescue under way Stranded seal rescued from Merseyside field 20 miles from sea
(35 minutes later)
A bid to recover a seal found stranded in a field in Merseyside is under way. A seal has been rescued more than four hours after it was first reported stranded in a field.
Police said a dog walker reported seeing the animal on land in Newton-le-Willows, near St Helens, at about 9.45am on Monday. The mammal was spotted by a dog walker up to 20 miles inland at Newton-le-Willows, near St Helens, Merseyside, at about 9.45am on Monday.
Officers have since contained the seal and conservation experts en route to the location, but police warned members of the public to stay away for their own safety. The young grey male seal is thought to have travelled up the river Mersey and found its way into a brook near the field.
In a statement, Merseyside police said: “Police in St Helens were called at around 9.45 this morning by a dog walker, reporting that she’d seen what appeared to be a seal in the middle of a field in the St Helens area. The unusual scene attracted a lot of local interest but members of the public were warned to stay away as seals are said to be “potentially dangerous”.
“Police have contained the seal and representatives from the British Diver Marine Life Rescue Service are making their way to the scene. Police called for the assistance of the British Diver Marine Life Rescue Service, the RSPCA and Merseyside fire and rescue service in the operation.
“Seals are powerful animals and potentially dangerous. Police are advising the public to stay away from the area.” Shortly after 2pm the “exhausted” seal was coaxed into a RSPCA trailer with a bait of mackerel and was then transferred to the RPSCA’s Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre in Nantwich, Cheshire.
In a statement, Merseyside police said: “Police and fire officers, with the help of a local farmer have herded the seal on to a RSPCA trailer.
“Its condition is described as being exhausted and has now been taken to the RSPCA’s wildlife hospital in Stapeley Grange, Nantwich, for assessment.
“Once fully recovered they hope to release the seal back into its natural habitat.”
It is thought the animal may somehow have arrived in the field from the Mersey estuary, which starts 11 miles away at Runcorn.It is thought the animal may somehow have arrived in the field from the Mersey estuary, which starts 11 miles away at Runcorn.