Wildlife rescue experts are being given the slip by Houdini, the cunning grey seal of Loch Lomond.

The devious sea mammal, threatened with execution after river anglers accused him of eating their salmon, has so far evaded all attempts at capture.

Rescuers from Sussex headed up to the River Leven, near Loch Lomond in Scotland, to capture the elusive creature but were thwarted.

They have now secured Houdini - also known as Andre and Salty - his own fishing licence on the river, and will return next week to net him.

Members of Uckfield-based British Divers Marine Life Rescue appealed to local people not to shoot Houdini after they obtained a licence to kill the adult grey seal.

The organisation has since been trying to lure him with tuna nets - but without success.

Chairman Alan Knight said: "He's got a stay of execution but is being remarkably elusive. He's got lots of fish to eat and just sits there thinking, 'What a load of idiots'.

"Despite being a protected species, people are allowed to shoot seals in Scotland if they go anywhere near fishing rods or nets.

"They got permission to shoot this seal but we asked them not to kill him.

"We have an internationally-important population of grey seals and don't want to see any of them shot.

"The fishing club have now issued him a licence to fish - which must be the first time this has ever happened - allowing him to fish indefinitely until we catch him."

Mr Knight, of Dallington near Heathfield, said a team spent two days trying to lure the four-year-old, 300kg animal into nets.

However, new nets are being brought up from Wales and he said he was confident Houdini would finally be captured.

He said: "When we get him we have a van waiting with a tank in the back and will have a vet available.

"He'll have a complete MOT to check he's fine and then we'll take him to a seal colony and release him.

"We're all volunteers so can't be in Scotland during the week, but we'll be returning next weekend to catch him."

Doreen Graham of the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said: "It would be such a crying shame if he was shot because he is such a good specimen.

"There is also an international responsibility here - Scotland is home to the world's largest colony of grey seals and they've already been hit by last year's outbreak of the phocine distemper virus."