Two rescued seals cared for by a Norfolk wildlife centre have been successfully released back into the wild.

Eastern Daily Press: Two seals cared for by the RSPCA East Winch Wildlife Centre have been released back into the wild. Picture: RSPCATwo seals cared for by the RSPCA East Winch Wildlife Centre have been released back into the wild. Picture: RSPCA (Image: RSPCA)

Common seals Surfboard and Shrimp were brought to the RSPCA East Winch centre after being rescued last autumn.

Surfboard came into RSPCA care in November after being found at Caister with laboured breathing, suffering from lungworm and weighing just 15kg.

His weight has more than doubled to 37kg – roughly the weight of a 12-year-old child.

Shrimp was found at Horsey beach in late October. When she was brought in she was thin, weighing just 14.7kg, and suffering with small wounds on her body.

By the time she was released with Surfboard on January 25 she weighed a much healthier 34.5kg.

RSPCA centre manager Alison Charles said: 'As with almost all the seals that come into our care, the road to recovery is usually a long one, as it takes time to build up their strength and get them to an ideal weight where they will be strong enough to survive in the wild.

'No matter how many seals we release, we never get tired of watching them slide into the water and them bob their heads before making the swim home. We are really privileged to work with these beautiful mammals and we hope, in a good way, that we don't have to see these seals again.'

If you would like to support the work for the seals at East Winch please visit www.justgiving.com/campaign/eastwinchseals