London Stunned By Seal On The South Bank

7 October 2016, 15:35 | Updated: 7 October 2016, 16:04

Londoners were left stunned as a rare seal took a rest on the banks of the Thames on the South Bank.

The rare visitor was spotted by passers-by and appeared in a number of video posted onto social media.

The Metropolitan Police’s boat unit shared images of the Seal walking across the sand at low tide, complete with a truly awful joke.

After eating loads of fish, this is as good a plaice to relax as anywhere! pic.twitter.com/cevPXYaCBq

— MPSonthewater (@MPSonthewater) October 2, 2016

They warned however that “remember if you see him they are wild animals and may bite if approached."

The Thames was declared biologically dead in 1957 after being polluted ever since the industrial revolution and being used as a open sewer for many years longer.

However a concerted effort to clean up one of the world’s most famous rivers in recent years has been highly effective, with many fish and other animals returning.

Seals often frequent the area around Canary Wharf, close to Billingsgate Fish market where traders are known to throw them leftovers.