People urged to stay away from seals on beaches

The amount of people ignoring guidance to stay away from seals on Norfolk's beaches was "relentless", a charity said.

While they might look cute and fluffy, Friends of Horsey Seals - which operates across Horsey and Winterton - said there had been many times in the past week where people had got too close to the animals.

In a plea on social media, it said: "The message is really simple. Give Seals Space... what is it with folk that they have to go right up to the seals to see them?

"Enjoy the seals from afar. Please just do the right thing."

Norfolk is regularly home to thousands of grey seals, with many seen at spots along the coast throughout the year.

In December, Friends of Horsey Seals recorded 1,155 adult seals and 3,704 newborns.

The charity said any disturbance could cause stress, energy loss, sleep deprivation, pain, injury and unnecessary suffering to the animals.

It said: "People get too close when taking photos, often for social media, but surely no amount of 'likes' can justify them causing animals to face death through starvation."

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The charity has a number of seal wardens to educate people on keeping a safe distance, and provides a rescue team for any seals injured or in danger.

It is encouraging people to report any incidents of disturbances to understand the "true scale" of the problem.

According to the RSPCA, people should stay at least 100m - the length of a football pitch - away from seals.

The animal charity said people should not disturb them, especially if they believed them to be a mother and baby.

Common seals and grey seals are both protected by UK wildlife laws and it is against the law to pet, feed or generally interact with them.

If a baby seal is found, people are advised not to coax them back into the water. However, if a seal is sick or injured, people should contact a local charity.

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