Adventurous seal prompts police call-out

The scene that greeted Police in rural Helensville. Photo / Supplied via police

An adventurous or possibly hopelessly lost seal gallivanted about on a farm Helensville yesterday, prompting a police call-out.

A member of public reported a seal - nicknamed Westie - sitting in the middle of Inland Rd, at the top of Mackenzie's Hill, about 3.40pm.

By the time police and Department of Conservation (DoC) staff arrived, they found Westie had gone through a fence into farmland about 200m off the road.

Two police officers, DoC staff and two members of public managed to herd the seal into a large crate.

Seal on the run. Photo / Supplied via police

"We eventually managed to get him on to the back of a quad bike and he was then taken up the hill and put into a ute," Constable Pieter Schutte of Helensville police said.

Westie was then taken to the Rimmer Rd entrance of Muriwai Beach and returned to the sea.

However, Westie did not seem too pleased about being back home.

"He spent ages walking along the shoreline before he finally went back into the water - I don't think he was very keen for a swim," Mr Schutte said.