A FAMILY reunion received the seal of approval from some friendly mammals at the Sea Life Park in Weymouth.

Resident seal, Webb, has been reunited with her older brother and sister after four years apart.

The common seal is a popular attraction at the centre along with two others, Starburst and Edgley.

Now there will be five seals to help entertain and educate visitors to the park after Webb's brother Bubble and sister Smartie joined the group.

Their enclosure at Twycross Zoo in Warwickshire is closing and Weymouth agreed to take on the two extras to keep Webb company.

Sea Life Park's displays supervisor Sarah Leaney said: "Twycross contacted our sister attraction, the National Seal Sanctuary, looking for a new home for Bubble and Smartie after deciding to close their seal pool.

"The sanctuary works mainly with grey seals, so knowing that we already had Webb, the curator, Dr Glenn Boyle, contacted us to see if we could take them."

Bubble and Smartie were transported from the zoo in special wooden cages and carried carefully to the park's outdoor pool. Their arrival at the sanctuary was greeted with excitement from the staff and some cautious introductions from the mammals.

"Our facility is plenty big enough to accommodate them," said Mrs Leaney. "I am sure Starburst and Edgley will be just as excited about having a couple of new playmates as Webb is to see her brother and sister again."

The three seals were born in Colchester Zoo - Bubble in 1996, Smartie in 1997 and Webb in 2000.

After Webb was born, the family was separated with Webb coming to Weymouth at the same time that Bubble and Smartie moved to Twycross.

Male common seals live up to 25 years and the females can survive for about 35 years.