Seal found on doorstep reunited with family

The pup was unhurt but dehydrated

A young seal found "lounging" in a householder's plant pot has been reunited with its family.

The pup was discovered when the woman in Seaton Sluice, Northumberland, opened her front door on Tuesday morning.

The property, on Marine View, is close to a 30mph (50kmh) road but the marine mammal was unharmed.

The dehydrated seal was given fluids and moved closer to the sea where it joined up with its family.

Northumbria Police community support officers contacted British Divers Marine Life Rescue and the RSPCA.

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Paul Moorhead, one of the officers, said: "I was half thinking of putting it in the back of my patrol car.

"Policing Northumberland has many challenges, and the beauty of the area is these kind of jobs do come along every once in a while."

Police said they were tempted to put the seal in their patrol car before calling the RSPCA

The pup was unhurt but dehydrated