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Excuse me, sir, I'm looking for the sea... seal surprises fisherman TEN MILES inland

By David Derbyshire for MailOnline
Updated: 18:26 EDT, 16 February 2010

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He might have been asking for directions - or looking for some local fishing tips.

Whatever the reason, this seal seemed very keen for a chat with the angler he spotted on the riverbank.

Fisherman Matt Sparks had the surprise of his life when he saw the seal in the River Frome in Dorset, ten miles from the open sea.

Enlarge

Amazed fisherman Matt Sparks met a friendly seal when fishing on the River Frome in Dorset at the weekend

When he clicked his fingers at it, the creature swam right over, popped its head out of the water and flapped its flippers about.

Mr Sparks, 33, was fishing for grayling that day - and did not expect to come across anything so exotic as a seal.

Experts believe the creature was lost, after swimming up from the English Channel in the hunt for food.

The curious seal swam up to Mr Sparks before flipping backwards and racing off downstream

Angler Matt Sparks reaches out to the lost seal which swam over after he clicked his fingers at it

Fancy seeing you here: Mr Sparks reaches out to the lost seal which swam over after he clicked his fingers at it

Angling photographer Roy Westwood was on hand to catch the moment at Holmebridge, west of Wareham.

'I've never seen anything like this in 30 years of taking photographs on fisheries around the country,' he said.

The seal was four miles from Poole Harbour, a haven for common seals, otters and wading birds.

Performing seal: The creature was spotted in the shallows of the River Frome - four miles from its harbour home

Mark Oakley, a spokesman for the chain of Sea Life centres, said the fact the seal was so far upstream was worrying.

'The fish and invertebrates that seals generally prey on may have dwindled to such small numbers that some seals are swimming up river in desperate search for food,' he said.

Common - or harbour - seals are the most widespread variety on Britain's coast. They can survive in fresh water for several weeks and usually return to the sea under their own steam.