Fingers crossed for Sammy the seal

Little Sammy had to be rescued from the sea at East Worthing last Tuesday after he beached himself and appeared to be injured.

According to Billy Elliott, a rescue officer from Worthing and District Animal Rescue Service (WADARS), Sammy was x-rayed by vets, who discovered his right flipper was broken.

He was taken to an RSPCA centre in Hastings, where vets are anxiously waiting to see if his fracture will heal itself. But if it doesn't, he may have to be put down.

Billy, who helped rescue him from the water, said: "The vets have to decide whether to leave the fracture to heal itself, and there is the possibility of surgery. They might have to put him to sleep though if he is suffering.

"If we hadn't rescued him, the chances are he would have died of starvation, or washed himself up on a remote beach and been attacked by another animal. We are keeping our fingers crossed but we have to understand it might be best to put him down to avoid him suffering any more."