Rescued seal pups released back into the wild

The pups were returned to the sea at Hunstanton in Norfolk

Three rescued seal pups that were found to be too young to survive on their own have been released back into the wild.

Sage, Lilly, and Snowdrop were rescued from beaches in Norfolk and rehabilitated by the Sea Life centre in Hunstanton.

The aquarium said the seals had reached the required weight and size in order to be returned to the sea.

Each pup was fitted with a flipper tag, so staff could track their progress, behaviour and movements.

Sea Life says it remains unclear why some seals are abandoned by their mothers

Sophie Negus, displays supervisor at Sea Life's seal hospital, said: "Wildlife welfare is our top priority, and while the UK seal population is strong, there are always individual animals that need an extra hand.

"We're confident in the effectiveness of our rescue process, and we know from years of experience that these pups will have the best chance at a full and healthy life after their rehabilitation."

Thousands of common and grey seal pups are born on Norfolk's beaches each year.

Sea Life said it had rehabilitated more than 750 seals since its seal hospital opened in 1989.

Sage, Lilly, and Snowdrop were found on beaches at Wells, Brancaster and Hunstanton.

Sea Life, which is owned by Merlin Entertainments, said they were likely to have been left by their mother too early, which was a "common yet unfortunate occurrence".