One-eyed Whitley Bay rescue seal released back into wild

Helena needed surgery to remove her eye after she was found with multiple fishing hooks caught in her face and body

A seal that made a "miraculous" recovery after being found with fishing hooks caught in its face and body has been released back into the wild.

Named Helena by rescuers, it was found abandoned and underweight with multiple injuries in Whitley Bay.

The marine mammal underwent surgery to remove its eye at Blue Reef Tynemouth's Marine Rescue Centre.

After a long rehabilitation, Helena has been released back into the North Sea alongside fellow rescue seal Verne.

The seal should have "no issues" once its back in the wild, rescuers said

Complications from the injuries meant the damage to its left eye caused by the discarded fishing hooks was irreversible.

Terry Mckeone, head of seal rescue, said: "Helena should have no issues due to her eye, once she is back in the wild.

"Seals have very sensitive whiskers which they use to detect fish, so are quite adept at hunting without good vision."

Blue Reef said the seal was "lucky" to have been brought in for treatment, as it was "unlikely" that it would have survived if it was left in the wild.

Helena was released back into the North Sea alongside fellow rescue seal Verne