On Tuesday, officers rushed to the scene in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk to guard a dying seal against crowds. The grey seal died a few hours after officers arrived at the beach.

       Some people were spotted throwing stones at the mammal, while parents were seen taking pictures of their children alongside it.

       Dan Goldsmith, chairman of Marine and Wildlife Rescue, said that the group showed a lack of appreciation for the seal.

       He also claimed that the crowd were in close proximity to the mammal - by “getting within a foot” of it.

       He said: “It's absolutely exacerbating.

       “People were picking up stones and throwing them at the seal. Whether that was to get it to move I don't know.

       “Police were constantly needing to tell people to move back - they were getting within a foot of the seal.”

       Mr Goldsmith added: “People don't appreciate that it should be left to rest.

       “They just want to get photos and put their children there to get pictures with it.”

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       Mr Goldsmith also reported that around 4.30pm the seal returned itself to the water’s edge and was taken by the tide.

       He added: “It may well have died.”

       The Daily Mail reports that an RSPCA spokesperson said that the charity was “shocked” to hear reports of people’s behaviour around the mammal.

       They advised that throwing stones at the seal and being in close proximity to it may have caused it to become distressed.

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       They said: “It's really important that members of the public stay away from the seal as getting close is likely to cause this very poorly animal a lot of distress.

       “We know that seals in the wild are an incredible sight to see, but people must remember that these are wild animals.”

       The charity spokesperson also advised on the right approach to take when it comes to the seals that inhabit areas along the Norfolk coastline.

       They said: “We share our beaches with seals and have to learn to respect nature and enjoy from a distance, and never interfere or get too close to them.”