Seal spotted off coast of Hove by 'excited' resident

The seal, caught on camera by Hove resident Amanda Hall, was seen near Hove Lawns earlier this morning, popping up to bask before diving down into the sea.

Amanda said that she was really excited to spot the seal and that they are “gorgeous to watch”.

She said: “We’re often in Cornwall as we have family there, so have seen seals in the wild before.

“One even basked next to me when I was sea swimming, but I’ve never seen one here before, so it felt really special.

“I was really excited to spot it and it kept diving down and then popping up to bask for a bit, so it looked as if it was ok and not in distress.

“They are so gorgeous to watch.”

Amanda said she had never seen a seal in Hove before (Image: Amanda Hall)

It is the latest in a series of sightings of seals in Brighton and Hove, with a juvenile seal spotted taking a long rest on the beach in March.

British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) advises people not to approach a seal if one is seen resting on the beach and to not allow children or dogs to go near it.

A spokesman for the organisation told The Argus: “Seals regularly haul out on our coasts - it is part of their normal behaviour and, in fact, they spend more time out of the water, digesting their food and resting than in it.

“If you find a seal on a beach, watch it from a distance.”