Seal with plastic caught around its neck is rescued from beach in Walton

A dog walker called for the aid of the British Drivers Marine Life Rescue team after discovering the injured animal on the beach at the town’s Naze cliffs.

Kevin Tappenden found the seal while he was walking his two dogs on Saturday morning.

His wife, Mandy, said: “It appeared to have been caught up and had something stuck around its neck.

Injury - a net had been caught around the seal's neck

“He called the British Divers Marine Life Rescue charity and waited until they arrived.

“The tide was coming in and was almost at high tide, but they managed to get the seal into a cage and take away.

“They said it had probably been caught in nets when young and where it had grown, it cut deeper and deeper into its neck.”

British Drivers Marine Life Rescue said the seal had a severe entanglement around its neck - thought to be netting or a plastic bag - which had cut all the way through its blubber

The animal was taken to a rehabilitation centre for care, where the plastic was removed safely before he was given medication.

Volunteer Barry Scott, 39, was called to the aid of three seals on Saturday, including at the Naze and in Jaywick.

“Both animals had been entangled in netting and needed help,” he said.

“The call to help the grey seal, now named Gnocchi, came early Saturday from walkers with their dog who spotted the seal beached and with something tight around its neck.

“Seals spend a large amount of their time on land quite happily and there are large colonies of seals in the backwaters so people in general should give them a wide berth and keep their dogs on a lead if they spot one resting.

The seal had a 'severe entanglement' around its neck. Picture: BDMLR Medics

“This particular one had the substance around its neck and cutting into it.

“Fortunately it was under one of the cliff areas but the tide was right on us by the time we got the cage lowered.

“We then had to hoist it up and get back to the vehicles at the Naze Tower carrying the equivalent of 40kg in weight.

“People don’t realise that seals have a strong jaw and a mouth full of teeth so we had to keep stopping because Gnocchi was trying to bite our fingers through the cage and it was about a mile to the car.”

Barry later helped to rescue a second seal found entangled in rope in Jaywick.

If you discover a stranded marine mammal you should call the Essex Wildlife Trust The Naze straight away on 01255 679379 with accurate details and location.

The information will then be sent onto the British Divers Marine Life Rescue team.