Record number of seal pups counted on Norfolk coast

ITV News Anglia's Natalie Gray reports

A record number of baby seals have arrived on a five-mile stretch of coast in Norfolk.

Nearly 4,000 grey seal pups have been counted between Waxham and Winterton.

Described as Norfolk's natural wonder, there had been concern for the future of seal pups as the RSPCA recently predicted a rise in the number of seal pup injuries.

Thousands of people will go to see the seal pups while they stay on the Norfolk Coast before leaving to re-enter the sea.

Roughly half of the world’s population of grey seals live around the British coastline. They can live up to 35 years, and can weigh up to 350kg (55st 2lb).

Peter Ansell, the Chairman of Friends of Horsey Seals said: "Well every year is the biggest ever number. They just go up and up and up and we don't see any end to it really. It's nice to see that they're doing well."

In nearby Blakeney, there are even more grey seal pups around but they gave up counting three years ago because there was so many. Now it's worked out from an aerial photograph.

The pups are born white and are fed on the beach by their mothers for three weeks. Then the mum leaves while the pup moults its non waterproof coat ready to go to sea to hunt.

People are advised to keep dogs on leads and keep your distance if visiting the site.

In some cases, frightened mother seals abandon their babies which means some of the seal pups can become undernourished.

The seal pups can be spotted during the winter months at Horsey, until about February.