Seal pups 'doing well' after East Coast tidal surge

One of the seals has been named Donald after the new US president, due to the colour of the fur around his head

Seal pups left exhausted by the recent tidal surge along the East Coast are making good progress, staff at an animal hospital have said.

Skegness Seal Sanctuary said the pups were found washed-up after "battling some really big seas".

Owner Richard Yeadon said the pups were underweight and in desperate need of help when they were found.

Three seals are receiving treatment, including one named Donald because of the Trump-like fur on his head.

Donald - a common seal - is older than the other pups and is feeding without help

Donald is a common seal and is making good progress.

The other two are grey seals and are still having to learn how to feed themselves.

"It is at a crucial point in their lives - particularly for grey seals who are just leaving their mums at this time of year," said Mr Yeadon.

"They are a bit weak and not quite prepared for life in the big sea."

He said the plan was to "fatten them up" and release them back to the wild, a process which normally takes about 12 weeks.

Other current residents at the sanctuary are called Dick, Dom, Dippy, Dot and Doris.

Donald was named after his likeness to new US president was suggested by a visitor to the hospital.

The grey seals would have been more reliant on their mothers for food

Many of the grey seals rescued by the charity come from the Donna Nook Nature Reserve.

Common seals in the hospital tend to come from the area around the Wash.