It's nice to be beside the sea-l side as dad and son come across pup on the Headland

The mammal was spotted off the Headland by Gary Sanderson, 47, and son Louis, 10, at around 6pm yesterday as they took a walk along the coast.

Gary, who runs his own joinery firm, and Louis, a pupil at Clavering Juniors, plan to take another stroll this evening to see if it or any of his mates have returned once the tide is out.

Gary, who lives on the Headland, said: "We just loved it.

"We don't normally go that far out and we just saw the seal.

"It was there, basking in the sun. It was quite happy.

"When we went back to the promenade, we couldn't see it, so it was quite well hidden by the rocks.

"I've seen them bobbing about in the sea before, but I've never seen them in so close.

"My son wanted to go down to the beach and normally we go out and he takes his hover board and go along the prom, but it was out of batteries.

"I grew up on the Headland, so I was showing him places I knew when I was little when we came across it and it was just a few feet away.

"In one of the photos, we got it waving.

"We didn't get too close to it. He wanted to go back and take it some food, and we'll take another look tonight, but the tide's been in already.

"He wanted to try and help it get back in the sea, but I told him it'll be all right, they can make their own way in.

"He was over the moon to see it."