Conservationists, the local bobby on the beat and school pupils joined forces on Goodwick beach yesterday (Wednesday) to save a stranded seal pup and avert a potentially dangerous confrontation.

Conservation organisation Sea Trust was alerted to the stranded pup by National Park Warden Ian Meopham.

He had discovered the pup on the area of beach under the old flag post car park, he had taped this off and asked Sea Trust to put up a sign asking people to keep away.

“Ian had a good point,” said Sea Trust founder Cliff Benson. “However on investigation it was obvious that the pup was pretty feisty and dogs can’t read.

“There was a real danger that if we left it there it might end up in a confrontation where it or a dog might end up injured.

“Normally you should leave a seal pup alone unless it is obviously injured or in trouble but this was too risky.

“We took the decision that given the high tide, and the fact that if approached by a dog, it would bite and the outcome would be bad from either point of view, seal or dog.”

Ian had called Terry Leadbetter of Pembrokeshire Seal Rescue who was on his way. Cliff decided that the best thing in the interim would be to catch the seal and get it safe so Terry could deal with it.

With the help of local policeman and a woman who was passing by Cliff managed to get the seal safely into a box, ready for collection by Terry.

Terry made sure the animal was fit and healthy and able to fend for itself before taking it to Aberfforest to release it in a safer locality.

The pup was marked with paint so rescuers would be able to identify it if it got into further difficulty.

“This was a good bit of team work from Ian, Mark, ourselves at Sea Trust and Terry!,” said Cliff.

“At the end of the day it’s all about local people looking after our wildlife.”