Ice cream, fairground fun and seaside sunbathing bring thousands of tourists to Great Yarmouth every year.

But this summer the resort seems to have attracted unexpected visitors - more than 300 seals.

The blubbery mammals are a common sight around Horsey and Scroby Bank, but this week Yarmouth hoteliers have noticed almost treble the usual number.

Aileen Mobbs, owner of the Imperial Hotel, says guests have enjoyed watching the seal visitors from her terrace in North Drive.

'You can always see a few but there are a huge amount at the moment,' she explained. 'There are well over 300 out there today, but you can normally see around 100.'

She said she thinks they are common and grey seals, and have been out in force this week due to the warm weather.

The Imperial Hotel has binoculars to loan to guests so they can observe them from the terrace.

And many locals do not know that seal trips run from beside Britannia Pier, taking 45 minutes and costing just �8.

'People don't realise you can do this from Yarmouth,' added Ms Mobbs. 'They think you have to go to north Norfolk.

'But anything north Norfolk can do, we can do better!'