Seal seen swimming in River Thames

The Zoological Society of London confirmed there had been seal sightings in the stretch of the Thames where the animal was spotted

A video on social media has captured what appears to be a seal swimming in the Thames.

The animal is seen in a stretch of river near Thames Ditton, in Surrey.

According to the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), there have been 31 submitted seal sightings so far in 2024 on the stretch of river which runs between Kingston Bridge and Hampton Court Bridge.

A ZSL spokesperson said it was hard to know how many seals may be in the area, as several people may submit the same seal in sightings.

Since 2004, ZSL has encouraged members of the public to submit their sightings of marine mammals from the Thames and its tributaries.

The organisation asks members of the public to "appreciate these animals from a distance - for both your safety and to not cause the animal stress".