A baby seal that was rescued by volunteers from certain death has been released back into the wild.

The pup, which is believed to be about a year old, was severely underweight and suffering from a lungworm infection when it was found near Hampton Pier on December 20.

Volunteers from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) took it to Mallydams Wood RSPCA centre near Hastings, where it has spent the last three months recovering.

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It has since made a miraculous recovery; having gained more than 20 kilos, overcome the lungworm infection and been released back into the wild.

One of the volunteers who rescued it, Jez Stone, said: "It's why I volunteer with the BDMLR - it's amazing.

"It only weighed 17 kilos when we found it and now it's 40 kilos."

When the seal arrived at Mallydams, it was put on a course of antibiotics to tackle the lungworm, which can be fatal, and had a liquid diet.

VIDEO: supplied by RSPCA Mallydams Wood

A video posted by the RSPCA centre on Facebook shows the seal bounding into the sea.

"I get emotional every time I see it," Mr Stone, from Westgate-on-Sea, added.