ANIMAL conservationists have issued a cautionary appeal after a “rescued” seal pup had to be rescued again – from a bathtub.

The healthy grey seal pup has been spotted on the shoreline near Scarborough by a local beach-walker who assumed the animal was in trouble.

He threw a piece of clothing over it and carried it to the promenade where another do-gooder collected it from him and took it home.

Then the town’s Sea Life Sanctuary took a call from a house on Seamer Road, where they found the year-old pup staring at them from the bathtub.

Curator Lyndsey Crawford said both rescuers were to be commended for acting in what they believed to be the animal’s best interests but added: “In reality their rescue efforts were both dangerous and unnecessary.

“The seal proved to be in perfect health, and had probably just hauled out for a snooze, and it’s a minor miracle he didn’t give anyone a nasty bite.”

The bemused seal was fitted with an ID tag and returned to the wild at Burniston, where it raced into the waiting tide without a backward glance.

*Anyone who comes across a seemingly stranded seal-pup is urged to do the following: • Stay as far away as possible while keeping the animal in view • Try to keep other people and especially dogs well clear • If the seal has not moved after an hour call either the RSPCA or the Sea Life Sanctuary (01723 373414) and an experienced team will respond as quickly as possible.

• Under no circumstances attempt to handle. Seals are wild animals capable of inflicting serious injury.