Seal spotted having rest on Hove beach

The elderly male seal was seen lying on a beach in Hove, with surprised onlookers taking pictures of the animal from a distance.

The seal is understood to have appeared on the beach at around 8am this morning.

Miller Mathewson was on a family walk along the beach when he saw a large crowd surrounding the seal and said it was “a moment I won’t forget for a long time”.

Beachgoers stopped to take a look at the seal (Image: Andrew Gardner / The Argus)

He said: “We wondered what on earth was going on. We ran down and on the beach was a huge elephant seal lying on the shingle.

“Everybody on the beach seemed wowed and amazed at the incredible creature that had decided to grace the beach.

“At first, we were concerned with its state; it’s unusual to see a seal, let alone to see one on land.

“After speaking to members of the Marine Mammal Medics, who were on hand, we were told that it had travelled a great distance across the sea and was incredibly tired out.

“It had rolled out of the sea onto the beach and laid down exhausted.

“Apparently the rest of the herd were waiting patiently in the sea beyond.”

Another passer-by said that it was a “real surprise to spot a seal on the beach”.

He said: “There are lots of people trying to catch a glimpse of the seal and they’re all keeping their distance.”

Volunteers from British Divers Marine Life Rescue are monitoring the seal to monitor his safety.

The charity is urging people to keep their distance and keep any dogs on a leash as they can be aggressive.

Sheila, a volunteer from the charity, said: “Even though he’s hauled up on the dog friendly beach, everybody has been nice and kept a cordon.

“He’s quite stubborn, he’s gone to the water and ran back up the beach three times.

“He’ll go back to the sea when he’s ready.”

Seals regularly haul out onto coasts around the UK as part of their normal behaviour and spend more time out of the water, to rest and digest food, than in it.