Adorable seal pup caught on video taking a break on South Shields steps

Adorable video footage shows the inquisitive pup taking a look around on the steps at the south pier, near the lighthouse, before posing for the public above and taking a little rest.

The 'cute' animal was caught on camera by Abigail Ellen Green who filmed the pup getting settled on the steps.

Related: Say cheese: Beautiful seal pup takes a break on South Shields Pier

Abigail, who teaches geography and is head of year 13 at St.Wilfrid's RC College, said: "I was doing fieldwork with some students at the beach and heard a passer-by mention they had seen one.

"So as I was walking back along the pier I was just saying quite jokingly ‘I’m disappointed I haven’t found a seal’ and then spotted this cutie! It made my morning."

So far this year there has been a number of sightings of seals relaxing on the South Shields coast.

Passers-by may fear that the animals are in need of help, animal welfare chiefs have urged people to stay away from them.

They say it's a perfectly normal part of a seal's behaviour to come ashore if it needs to digest food - or simply have a rest.

And it's only necessary to call for help if a seal is stranded for days, or appears to be sick or injured.