A young seal called Freddie Mercury which swam up the Thames to Teddington in London had to be rescued on Saturday (February 20) after a fishing hook became stuck in his mouth.

Local residents, including Samantha Banton, spotted Freddie on the banks of the Thames near Teddington Lock on Thursday (February 18) with the hook and a large lure dangling from his mouth.

The lock keeper informed British Diving Marine Life Rescue and a team arrived to help.

They managed to catch Freddie in a net and the fishing hook fell out on its own.

At this point, they administered antibiotics, placed the marine mammal in a crate and drove him back to the Thames Estuary.

Freddie Mercury is less than a year old but has had a difficult start to life.

He was released from a seal hospital in the Netherlands last August and was treated again by experts at a hospital in Calais back in January.

He then swam across the English Channel and up the Thames where he ate the hook.

Seal rescued from Teddington Lock on Saturday 20th February at 10.30am.