Keith the Seal heads north (From Worcester News)

Worcestershire's resident seal has been spotted in Bewdley

3:31pm Wednesday 2nd January 2013 in News

BEWDLEY and Stourport visitors were treated to an unusual sight on New Years Day after a seal was spotted in the river Severn.

Visitor Rebecca Harris, of Kidderminster, snapped the photograph of the seal, known locally as Keith, from Severnside North, Bewdley.

She said: “He was lying on the edge of Severnside North between the flood barriers and the river barrier which was underwater.

“As more people came to look, he swam away. We waited, hoping to see him again and spotted him about 20m further up the river.

“It was a beautiful sight and a brilliant way to start off the year.”

Despite being named after a Royalist commander in the English Civil War, it is thought that Keith is actually a female.

Sightings of a seal have recently been reported in the river Severn at Diglis, Worcester, and most recently in Upton-upon-Severn. It is thought the seal travels up the river in search of salmon, possibly helped by the high river levels.

Further reports have also been made that a seal was spotted on the same day in Stourport between the Marina and Stourport basins.

Have you spotted Keith recently? Email our newsdesk news@worcesternews.co.uk