Seal spotted playing in River Wear at Chester-le-Street after swimming up from Sunderland

This was the scene as a happy seal was spotted playing in the high waters of the River Wear at Chester-le-Street.

The sea-going mammal was an unusual sight that far inland, but seals can sometimes be spotted that far up.

The seal will have travelled around 12 miles up river to get to Chester-le-Street, entering the Wear at Roker and following its twists and turns through Sunderland, Washington, Penshaw, taking a tour through the Lambton Estate and passing a sewage works.

The seal was spotted at snapped by Billy Atkinson at Riverside Park in Chester-le-Street on Sunday.

"What a beautiful sight," he said.

"The seal hung around for a couple of days but has now gone back home now."