A UNIQUE seal colony has equalled its best-ever breeding year. Conservationists monitoring the Seal Sands colony near Hartlepool were overjoyed when they recently identified six pups along the River Tees.

This year, seals have been reported by observers as far upriver as the Tees Barrage, in Stockton, and counts will continue in the area all summer.

Members of the Billingham-based Industry Nature Conservation Association (Inca) have also noted 44 harbour seals at Hartlepool and 32 grey seals at Seal Sands.

The Seal Sands colony is especially important because in the 1960s it became the first post-industrial colony to re- establish itself in Europe. At that time, seals had not been seen in the area for more than 100 years.

Jonathan Gibson, who co- ordinates Inca's seal project, said: "We are delighted to have six pups, equal to the best year enjoyed by the colony and one up on last year.

"What is also pleasing is the seals seem to be spreading out along the River Tees.

"During our first monitoring exercise this year, several seals were seen along the stretch between the Tees Barrage at Stockton and the mouth of the river, which was excellent to see. That is a sign of a healthy colony expanding."

The Inca seal project recently received funding from steel company Corus through a landfill tax credit scheme.