Yobs have been throwing stones at a seal on Weymouth beach.

The seal, nicknamed Sammy by locals, has been spotted on the beach regularly over the last two months and has gained quite a fan base.

However, there has been an increasing number of reports of people throwing stones at Sammy and videoing others doing so.

Andy Tolley, an engineer, was walking along Bowleaze Cove on Thursday July 9 when he saw two parents with their two children.

The children were throwing rocks at Sammy whilst the parents recorded them doing so on their phones.

Andy, 63, said: “I was just walking with my friend and we could see the family and they were looking at something.

“Then all of a sudden I could see it was a seal trying to come onto the beach and the kids were throwing rocks at it while the parents filmed it.

“The kids were only about 10 feet away from the seal and they could have been doing some real damage to it at that close range.

“The seal was trying to get onto the beach and, because of the kids throwing stones, it kept going back into the water, swimming further up and then trying to come in again. Eventually it disappeared as it couldn’t get safely onto the beach.

“I was stuck for words. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. There were other people on the beach watching them as well and I don’t think they could believe it either.

“I wish I had gone up to them and taken photos of what they were doing so that the pictures could be used to demonstrate what others shouldn’t be doing. I was just gobsmacked.”

This is not the first report of stones being thrown at seals on the beach as members of the public have been getting increasingly closer to the wild animals. A child was bitten last month after trying to stroke Sammy. A dog also attacked the seal.

A spokesman for Dorset Police Rural Crime Team said: “A Wildlife Crime officer has been to Weymouth beach after reports of individuals throwing stones at a seal on the beach.

“Likewise we have been informed that individuals have been trying to ‘pet’ him. Please do not do this. Seals can bite if provoked.

“There is clear signage in the area stating this.

“Any individual found intentionally throwing stones at seals to cause them harm can expect to see positive police action.”