Seal pup returned to the wild on beach in Seaton Sluice

This little seal pup is almost too cute to imagine anyone doing him harm but staff at the Blue Reef Aquarium received a call two weeks ago from a walker who found the pup on the beach with an infected bite.

He has since been nursed back to health and released into the North Sea:

Walkers in Tynemouth are being reminded to check their surroundings before letting their dogs off their leads when on the beach.

Staff at the Blue Reef Aquarium say seal pups fall victim to swallowing or getting caught in litter, as well as attacks by other animals on the beach: