First seal pup release of the year

The Cornish Seal Sanctuary was becoming overcrowded with orphans after a spate of bad weather Credit: Cornish Seal Sanctuary

Six orphaned and rescued seal pups are to be released from the Cornish Seal Sanctuary.

It's the first release of the season after a spell of bad weather and the recent winter storms prevented the scheduled release of six seal pups early in 2016.

One of the young seals being released back into the wild is Kerplunk. She was rescued at just three weeks old and needed pioneering surgery to remove a severely wounded flipper.

Kerplunk was badly injured but will now return to the wild. Credit: Cornish Seal Sanctuary

The pup is only the second rescue seal to ever have this operation - 'Silkie' underwent the same procedure in 2001, and adapted so well that she too was able to be returned to the wild.