Seal pups draw visitors to the beach at Horsey in Norfolk

Grey seals haul themselves out onto the windswept beach at Horsey, near Great Yarmouth, to breed each winter.

Seals on the beach at Horsey (Image: Denise Bradley)

More than 2,000 pups are expected to be born between November and the end of January.

Allan and Claire Hunt, with their children, from left, Callum, 12; Miya, 10; and Ava, four, watching the seals at Horsey Gap. (Image: Denise Bradley)

The appealing creatures draw thousands to the coast, along with warnings from seal lovers not to disturb them.

Crowds flocked to Horsey to see the seals amid appeals not to get too close to the creatures (Image: Denise Bradley)

Friends of Horsey Seals say the animals are vulnerable to disturbance when they come ashore to give birth.

A seal on the beach at Horsey (Image: Denise Bradley)

They add: "Humans getting too close to seals, especially during the pupping season, can cause great distress and harm and lead to pups starving if they become separated from their mothers."

People are asked to stay within the roped-off areas when visiting Horsey to see the seals (Image: Denise Bradley)

Visitors are asked to stay off the beach and at least 30m from the seals.

Seals at Horsey (Image: Denise Bradley)

Hayley Ward from Freethorpe and her children, Laurie, 21 months old, and Henry, five, watch the seals at Horsey Gap (Image: Denise Bradley)