The man took the pup to the Sea Life Centre in his van. He is believed to be from Scarborough but did not give his name to staff.

The pup, christened Bauble, is the first grey seal to become a patient at the new Seal Rescue Centre. The centre opened in March and has so far treated common seals.

She is now being cared for by staff and is making a good recovery.

Displays curator Lyndsey Crawford said: “Bauble has superficial wounds around her face and is slightly underweight for what we might expect her to weigh, coming in at 15 kilos. She is about eight to 10 weeks old.

“She is a very feisty seal and will certainly pull through her injuries. We would hope to be able to release her back into the wild next year when we are satisfied that her chance of survival has increased.

“We’d like to say a big thank you to the gentleman who rescued Bauble but would also like to remind everyone that seals are wild animals and should not be approached.

“If anybody comes across a seal pup they think might need help they can call us on (01723) 373414.”