Adorable seal pup caught on video taking a break on South Shields steps

A seal pictured on the steps near South Shields. Picture by Abigail Green

Visitors to South Shields yesterday may have spotted a seal pup taking a break and lazing about on the pier steps.

Adorable video footage shows the inquisitive pup taking a look around on the steps at the south pier, near the lighthouse, before posing for the public above and taking a little rest.

The 'cute' animal was caught on camera by Abigail Ellen Green who filmed the pup getting settled on the steps.

Abigail, who teaches geography and is head of year 13 at St.Wilfrid's RC College, said: "I was doing fieldwork with some students at the beach and heard a passer-by mention they had seen one.

"So as I was walking back along the pier I was just saying quite jokingly ‘I’m disappointed I haven’t found a seal’ and then spotted this cutie! It made my morning."

So far this year there has been a number of sightings of seals relaxing on the South Shields coast.

Passers-by may fear that the animals are in need of help, animal welfare chiefs have urged people to stay away from them.

They say it's a perfectly normal part of a seal's behaviour to come ashore if it needs to digest food - or simply have a rest.

And it's only necessary to call for help if a seal is stranded for days, or appears to be sick or injured.