Disturbing image of seal injured by sea netting at Horsey beach

Little can be done to rescue this blood-stained seal on Horsey beach which is believe to have got entangled in netting.

This image of the bloody bull seal on Horsey beach, where there is a large colony of seals, has caused a shock on social media after being posted online on Wednesday, and highlighted the dangers of rubbish being thrown out to sea.

Despite its visible injuries, the seal is reported to be mobile, and the RSPCA will be called in if the seal's condition deteriorates.

Peter Ansell, chairman of the Friends of Horsey Seals group, said that it would be difficult to help the seal at this moment in time.

He said: 'It is one of those tragic situations which we can't do a whole amount to help at the moment.

'It is not affecting him at the moment, he is fighting with the other bull seals for supremacy of the colony just as normal.

'But if we go out there and try to catch it the colony might flee and the baby seals could be abandoned.

'They are very powerful creatures and it would be hard to try and keep it down and take whatever it is caught in from off around him - and if we tried to tranquillise it, then it would most likely flee to the sea and drown.

'If its condition starts to noticeably weaken then of course we would try and do what we can to help save it.

'The rubbish which animals face in the sea is expected but you hope that people see these injuries and it makes them take a second thought before throwing rubbish to sea.'

The Friends of Horsey Seals is a volunteer run group, which look to protect the species.