SCHOOLGIRLS spent hours caring for a vulnerable seal pup they found lying alone on a beach.

Zoe Irving, 14, and Abbie Green, 15, were at Dovercourt Bay beach on Monday evening when they heard a barking noise near the sea.

The two Harwich and Dovercourt High School students said the noise was coming from a baby seal which was all alone.

Zoe said: “We were at the beach to throw stones in the water at about 6.30pm and heard the barking noise.

“We saw something and thought it was a shark we’d nearly stepped on, then we realised it was a seal pup.”

The girls say they called the RSPCA which told them the seal’s mother might return for the pup during the night.

Zoe and Abbie came back to the beach on Tuesday morning at about 7.30am to see if the seal was still on the beach.

Zoe added: “We called our school to explain we wanted to look after the seal until help arrived. We just wanted to stay with it and keep it calm - and I think it got used to us being around.”

The girls say the RSPCA and British Divers Marine Rescue were then called to help.

A British Divers Marine Rescue spokesman said a man called on behalf of the girls at about 9.10am.

She said: “The seal returned to the water before the medic arrived at about 10.30am.

“We couldn’t confirm whether it was injured or was just on the beach resting as it was in the water when we got there.”

Sue Morhall, from Mistley, was visiting her beach hut when she saw the girls with the seal pup.

She said: “I just want to say how wonderful it was seeing two young people look after an animal in distress.

“It made me want to cry and it was good to know they are thinking about wildlife.”

An RSPCA spokesman said: “The RSPCA is often called out by well-meaning members of the public who are concerned about a seal or a pup they saw on the beach or near the water, worried that the wild animal has been abandoned.

“However, it’s not unusual for a seal pup to be alone, as seal mums leave their pups very early on in life. So if the seal pup looks fit and healthy and shows no signs of distress, it should firstly be monitored from a safe distance for 24 hours.

“If the mother does not return within 24 hours or if the pup looks sick or injured, or the seal pup is on a busy public beach, stay at a safe distance and contact the RSPCA’s emergency line on 0300 1234 999.”