A SEAL was spotted nestling in the sand by a passer-by at a Bournemouth beach on Tuesday evening.

Natalie Bailey, from Parkstone, noticed the seal at around 7:30pm on Tuesday evening while on a beach walk after going out for a meal.

Natalie said: "He was right by Bournemouth Pier on the left side.

"He was just chilling in the sand for ages rolling around, he looked happy."

Many residents and visitors have seen seals on the beach in recent weeks, with many believing it is the same animal.

The British Divers Marine Life Rescue is the UK's leading marine mammal rescue charity.

They said seals often haul themselves out on beaches to rest.

A spokeswoman for the organisation told the Daily Echo previously: “We advise that anybody who encounters the animal to keep a distance of 50m minimum and to keep all dogs on leads."

Bournemouth Echo:

"Seals are wild, unpredictable animals so it’s worth remembering that they can cause injury to people and/or dogs who get too close."