ANIMAL lovers are being urged to stay away from any seals they find on Tendring's beaches.

Dead seals can be washed ashore while live seals can become stranded.

Tendring Council says people should stay clear from the animals and report them to the authority.

A spokesman said: "We wanted to share some helpful information about what you should do if you find a dead or washed-up seal on the beach.

"If you do, then please report this to us including the location.

"Phone 01255 686868 in hours or -1255 222022 out of hours.

"Do not touch the mammal and please keep away from it."

 They added: "Please note that whilst we aim to remove the seal as quickly as possible, we are not an emergency service and we are limited by tides, the location and access to the seal for vehicles, along with the size of the seal which can be considerable in weight."