Seal stranded on farm

Seal stranded on farm

''We usually have a few ponies and a couple of sheep but never any seals. We're about 20 miles away from the coast.''

A seal has been found stranded 20 miles inland.

The semi-aquatic marine animal was discovered in the fenced-off field of a farm in Merseyside, north west England, despite being nowhere near the ocean.

Farm owner Gary Wilkinson said: ''We usually have a few ponies and a couple of sheep but never any seals. We're about 20 miles away from the coast.''

However, it seems the mystery of how the mammal arrived in the secluded location has been revealed, thanks to the marks it made in the mud.

Gary explained: ''It's definitely come up from the brook near here. I tracked its movements and you can see the marks in the soil.''