Hungry seals rescued from river returned to sea

Daffodil was rescued last month and has since been released back to the sea

Two seals which found themselves stranded in a river about 40 miles (64km) from the sea have been rescued.

Seals first appeared in a stretch of the River Nene in Peterborough in about 2022 and since then more than 300 sightings have been recorded of four of the creatures along that stretch.

The fate of two is unknown, but the remaining females, named Daffodil and Trifle, have been taken to the RSPCA's East Winch centre in Norfolk.

The Environment Agency said fish stocks had been seriously depleted since the arrival of the seals, so a licence from Natural England was granted for the seals to be removed for their own health.

Rob Harris, chairman of Peterborough and District Angling Association, said since the seals arrived in the past three years the stock of adult fish in that stretch had declined "by about 95%".

His organisation maintains about 12 miles (19km) of the Nene in the Peterborough area.

"You can't put an overwhelming marine predator into an environment that can't sustain it," he said.

"The seals were going to become very hungry as they run out of fish and moving them was the best result for them."

However, he said the fish stock in the area could take "about 30 years" to return to its previous level.

A number of organisations were involved in the rescue and removal including Natural England, Great Yarmouth-based charity Marine and Wildlife Rescue and a vet from the International Zoo Veterinary Group.

'Troublesome trifle'

Dan Goldsmith, chairman of Marine and Wildlife Rescue, said the seals were running short of food.

The rescue was overseen by a vet to ensure the mammals did not become too stressed.

The first to be trapped was Daffodil, who was "herded using a paddle board as she seemed to like to follow it", Mr Goldsmith revealed.

However, Trifle was more troublesome as she was frightened by the board.

Both seals had originally been rescued as sickly pups from beaches in Norfolk, but after treatment and release had somehow found their way inland after negotiating a number of locks and gates.

Daffodil has now been released into the sea at Horsey in Norfolk and Trifle is expected to be set free once her health has been fully assessed.

Mr Goldsmith added: "What has been so nice about this story is the compassion shown by everyone for the welfare of the seals."