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Stranded seal rescued from Merseyside field 20 miles from sea | |
(35 minutes later) | |
A seal has been rescued more than four hours after it was first reported stranded in a field. | |
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. | |
The young grey male seal is thought to have travelled up the river Mersey and found its way into a brook near the field. | |
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 called for the assistance of the British Diver Marine Life Rescue Service, the RSPCA and Merseyside fire and rescue service in the operation. | |
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. |