EARLY morning swimmers off the coast of Poole had some surprising company.

This seal popped up only a few yards from the bathers on Saturday.

Neil Niven was equipped with a waterproof camera and took this shot.

Fellow swimmer Tim Harris said the seal was spotted at around 8.15am. “We swam from Canford Cliffs to Shore Road and back and this was on the way back, near Flag Head,” he said.

“The seal popped up only a few yards from us and Neil snapped it.”

It's not clear whether the spotting marks the return of Ron, the seal who's become a familiar site in Purbeck and Poole harbour.

Further round the coast, a pod of 10 bottlenose dolphins were spotted off Durlston Country Park on Saturday.

Steve Maskell, a photographer who's part of the Echo's Flickr group posted this shot, saying; "We were thrilled to watch a group of about 10 bottlenose dolphins as they travelled eastwards along the coast."

Bournemouth Echo: