Seals: Norfolk council told plastic ring ban cannot be enforced

The council wants shops to stop selling the rings

A council has voted to introduce signs effectively banning plastic throwing rings on beaches, despite not having the ability to enforce a ban.

The move will be part of a campaign by North Norfolk District Council to protect seals.

Shop owners will also be encouraged to not sell the rings, which can become trapped around the animals' necks.

A council meeting heard that unless the law changed, the authority did not have powers to enforce a ban on the toys.

Plastic rings can seriously injure or ultimately kill a seal if its neck becomes trapped in one, and the council has already been running a "Safer Seals" campaign.

A motion was put forward calling for an additional campaign that would see shops given a "Seal of Approval" certificate if they chose not to stock the rings.

Liberal Democrat councillor Adam Varley said the area was "home to a large proportion of the world's common and grey seals".

He added the idea was to increase awareness about the dangers of flying rings and "reward those businesses which agree to not sell them".

This seal was treated at a wildlife hospital after being found on a Norfolk beach

Opposition group leader Conservative Christopher Cushing proposed an amendment to the motion, which he said would "strengthen" the campaign.

"[The council should] develop and deploy signage with a form of wording effectively banning the use and presence of flying rings on beaches and coastal car parks, but stopping short of stating it's a legally enforceable order."

However, the meeting was told that the council would not be able to enforce a ban.

Cara Jordan, assistant director for finance, assets and legal, said: "There's no law that I'm aware we could use if we put up a sign and someone breached the requirements not to use flying discs."

Despite that, the amended motion was voted through by the council.

The new awareness campaign is expected to begin in the next few weeks.