Seal Sanctuary worried it may not cope after becoming overcrowded with orphans

A seal sanctuary in Cornwall is becoming overcrowded with orphaned seals due to recent bad weather.

The Cornish Seal Sanctuary says there is a crisis in Cornwall's seal rescue network due to winter storms.

The sanctuary may not be able to cope after fresh storm warnings forced them to postpone the release of six grey seal pups to free up space.

The seal sanctuary has already rescued about 50 seals this winter. Credit: Cornish Seal Sanctuary

The RSPCA facility in West Hatch was recently declared full, as was a smaller holding centre operated by British Divers Marine Life Rescue at St Austell.

A desperate plan to fly some seals to a Sea Life centre in Hunstanton, Norfolk, was only narrowly averted when the Sanctuary managed to free up two hospital cubicles by moving two seals out to the Nursery pool.

The seal sanctuary says it may not be able to cope with another influx of seals. Credit: Cornish Seal Sanctuary

Tamara Cooper, the head of animal care at the Cornish Seal Sanctuary said: