The young seal was cut free from the littered net with a set of pruning shears after the shock discovery yesterday (Tues).

Hillswick Wildlife Sanctuary, on Shetland, was alerted to the stricken creature after a woman walking her dog on the beach at Wester Quarff spotted the seal’s head poking out of the net.

Ryan Leith, 46, a volunteer, was called from his home in Lerwick, Shetland, and rushed to the scene with wife Sara, also 46, who works as a high school technician.

Ryan, who works at the Lerwick Port Authority, wrapped the seal’s head in a towel to calm it down and cut the net which was wrapped around its neck entire body.

Once freed, the seal hopped into a burn leading into the sea and swam away, apparently unharmed.

Ryan said: “A woman walking her dog found the seal wrapped up in the net.

“She called her friend who stays above the beach and they started to get the seal freed from the net.

“They were going to come to the hide and they weren’t confident about releasing the front end of the seal.

“They called Hillswick Wildlife Sanctuary and they called me. "