Flying ring lodged around seal's neck

The seal has been spotted in the Newquay area

A marine conservationist has urged people not to buy plastic flying rings after a seal was spotted with one lodged around its neck.

The animal has been seen in the area around Newquay, with the bright red hoop clearly visible in photos.

Dan Jarvis from British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) said the ring would make "eating and even breathing" harder for the seal.

Anyone who sees it is asked to report their sighting to the BDMLR.

'Nasty wound'

"The constriction around its neck is going to make eating and even breathing a little bit more difficult," Mr Jarvis said.

"So it's going to be very, very uncomfortable, and it will, at some point, if it hasn't already, start to create an injury around there as it rubs against the skin and opens up quite a nasty wound."

He said BDMLR was working to stop the sale of flying rings, which have snared a number of seals in the past.

"We just need to be really careful about how we're acting on the beaches and the things that we're buying," he added.

"We've had a lot of really good contact with retailers who have actually taken them off the shelves of their beach cafes when we speak to them.

"A lot of people don't realise this is the outcome of losing a flying ring."

Another seal that is thought to be tangled in netting has been spotted in the St Ives area.