A FAMOUS seal which is a regular visitor to the River Blackwater and the Mersea jetty has been spotted again.

The harbour seal, which has been nicknamed Sammy, has been seen many times along the river and the jetty.

Now he has been spotted again, further down the River Blackwater.

The Maldon coastline is well known for being popular with a number of grey seals as well as the common harbour breeds.

Although they will come closer inland to feed, they breed further out to sea.

Sammy has been known to appear along the Mersea shore and also the river because he is attracted to the scraps of bacon used by visitors who go crab fishing along the shore.

Sarah Allison, who is the living seas co-ordinator for the Essex Wildlife Trust, has been monitoring Sammy’s appearances for quite some time.

She said he was a familiar and popular attraction.

She said: “He’s become a kind of local celebrity with his regular jetty and river appearances.

“A lot of people who visit there recognise him.

“Some seals often come into the area to feed in the shallower waters, mainly off scraps of food used for crabbing and occasionally fish too.

“While they feed here they don’t breed when coming further inland as the environment isn’t totally suitable for the pups.”

Seals visiting the rivers and jetties along the Essex coast do not pose any environmental harm to the area, and Sarah believes they have a positive impact on people’s experience.

She added: “They don’t pose any kind of threat to the area and everyone who knows about Sammy always really likes to see him.

“It’s great he has the confidence to come around to the Maldon area as well as Mersea.

“It allows people to get up close and personal with him to feed him without causing any real harm.”