Dog owners have been told to keep their pets on a lead after a seal was attacked at a Norfolk beach.

The incident happened on South Beach in Great Yarmouth on September 6, when a large dog which was not on a lead attacked the seal before eventually being called off by its owner.

Later the dog returned and lunged at the seal for a second time, before a group of teenagers attempted to put it back into the sea.

They were then persuaded not to by a group of bystanders.

Great Yarmouth Mercury: A dog was seen attacking a seal on South Beach in Great Yarmouth.A dog was seen attacking a seal on South Beach in Great Yarmouth. (Image: Friends of Horsey Seals)

It comes after a man was seen harassing a seal on Yarmouth's central beach in April.

Following the incident, Friends of Horsey Seals have appealed to dog owners to keep their pets on leads when they are near seals, and urged people not to put seals in the sea.

The group also used the incident to raise awareness of a petition which aims to make "unlawful" for people and their pets to "touch, feed, chase or worry a seal in the UK".

A spokesman for the group said: "Once again, we must urgently appeal to dog owners to keep their pets on leads if anywhere near seals.

"Although the people who witnessed this dreadful event did not see the dog actually bite the seal, it would have caused the pup fear and great distress, especially as it looks to be ill and undernourished.

"This is why the seal petition is very important and this sort of thing is happening all over the country."

The petition currently has 19,465 signatures.