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Seal spotted at Allington Lock in Maidstone

A slippery visitor caused a splash at Allington Lock this morning.

The seal was spotted snoozing on the sluice gate after swimming upstream to where the 19km freshwater River Medway reaches its tidal limit.

It was captured in a video by jogger Steven Wilson and pal Ciaran Marshall from Lower Stone Street pub Fishermans Arms at 11.30am.

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A seal was spotted at Allington Lock, Picture: Steven Wilson
A seal was spotted at Allington Lock, Picture: Steven Wilson

Lock keeper Tim Benger said: "The seal was resting on the sluice gate after it came up on the high tide.

"It was just having a sleep before going out into the water again.

"Having seals this far up the river is not unheard of, but we only have around one a year."

Video: Seal snoozing at Allington lock

In 2008, Simon the seal sent a ripple of excitement through the town when he was seen cavorting in the river as far upstream as East Farleigh.

Initially it was believed he had become trapped between the locks but it turned out he had the freedom of the river, using underwater sluice gates to pass from section to section.

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