AN UNEXPECTED visitor on the doorstep of sea front apartments has been returned to his North Sea home after wondering across a busy road.

A seal pup was discovered sheltering at the top of a flight of stairs by a volunteer Redcar RNLI crew after making an unusual on-shore journey from the sea to a Redcar residential area.

Video: Redcar RNLI

The little lost seal had managed to lumber along from the sands of Redcar beach, across the busy Esplande road, and up five steps to the entrance of the Royal Esplande Apartments yesterday morning.

The marine mammal’s land adventure came to a happy ending after the Redcar RNLI crew and the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) service employed the help of an off-duty coastguard with a dog cage.

In a post to social media, a Redcar RNLI spokesman said: “While we were assembling to carry out a lifeboat changeover, one of our crew was alerted to a seal sheltering in the doorway of the Royal Apartments on the sea front.

“Having alerted the BDMLR rescue service, we were working out how to get the pup back to the water when an off-duty coastguard officer, who runs a local pet shop, drove past in a van. And in the van was a dog cage.”

The spokesman added: “A bit of cautious coaxing got the seal into the cage and it was soon reunited with the North Sea. Result.”

The pup was last seen swimming back out to sea following his short stay at the Redcar apartments.

The BDMLR have stated that it is not uncommon for seals to seek shelter out of the water after high tides to regain their strength.