Rescuers Trevor Weeks and Chris Riddington were called out to reports of an emaciated seal near the Boardwalk at Sovereign Harbour Eastbourne on Friday 24th July 2015.
Members of the public reported seeing a small thin seal on the beach, and worried about it being washed out to sea.
After spending some time walking the shore in the pouring rain, rescuers spotted the seal, who was clearly emaciated, being tossed in the surf and trying to come ashore. Rescuers attempted to contain the seal and at one point even ended up in the sea, but sadly the seal disappeared.
Rescuer eventually left after witnessing the seal hitting one of the groynes hard and then floating out to sea and out of sight. After monitoring the shore for a while, rescuers left the scene fearing the worse.
After returning to WRAS's Casualty Centre and warming up, the rescue phone rang again and the seal had been spotted just inside the harbour on the shinhgle.
Trevor and Chris once again rushed down and this time the seal was further away from the sea. They were able block his exit to the water. Chris managed to put a net over the seal whilst Trevor managed to restrain the seal and examine it.
The seal was very underweight at just 12kg and very cold. It was than transported straight away to RSPCA Mallydams Wood in Hastings to go in their specialist seal facilities.
