A photographer's dream came true after a seal was spotted swimming in the river.

She had been waiting four years for the chance to get a snapshot of the friendly animal.

Theresa Austin was about to wrap up one of her morning photo walks along the Esplanade in Rochester, when she spotted the seal.

She said: "I heard a noise thinking it was a swan or a duck, and when I turned around, it was there just looking at me right by the shoreline.

"I had to keep in my squeals of excitement because I didn't want to scare it off.

"I've been waiting four years to see one along this Esplanade.

"When I first moved there, I was told that they're seen on this river park and I've been looking all this time and never seen one. I was absolutely overjoyed."