A seal was found in a field in Merseyside this morning, some 12 miles from the nearest coastline.

Police in St Helens were called at around 9.45am today by a dog walker, reporting that she’d seen what appeared to be a seal in the middle of a field in the St Helens area.

Merseyside Police, firefighters and RSPCA officers attended.

A police spokesman said: ‘Police and fire officers, with the help of a local farmer have herded the seal on to a RSPCAs trailer.

‘Its condition is described as being exhausted and has now been taken to the RSPCAs wildlife hospital in Stapley Grange, Nantwich, for assessment.

‘Once fully recovered they hope to release the seal back into its natural habitat.’