Animal rescue teams will not step in to save a lonely seal which has become “landlocked” in a freshwater river.

Last week the Kent Messenger reported on how a seal, dubbed Simon, had swum up the River Medway and through Allington lock; where the 19km freshwater river reaches its tidal limit.

The lock had been open due to high spring tides but has now been shut, effectively trapping the coastal animal up-river.

Since then the saga of Simon the Seal has continued, with the animal continuing up through Maidstone town centre and on to East Farleigh.

Representatives from the RSPCA and British Divers Marine Life Rescue say they do not plan to remove Simon, who, they insist, remains “happy” where he is, catching fish.

However Mark Stevens, director of BDMLR admitted seals normally live in colonies and that Simon was stuck by himself unless he worked out how to operate the lock system.

Mr Stevens said: “It’s pretty much landlocked but all the time it’s happy and not being harassed we won’t move it.”

And he admitted there wasn’t much chance of Simon meeting a female companion in East Farleigh, adding: “They don’t all need to breed, just like not all humans need to breed.”

BDMLR Chairman Alan Knight however admitted seals had been known to upset fisherman in the past.

He said: “In Scotland they were going to shoot a seal that was eating salmon but we said 'why don’t you make it an honorary club member.

“They did and got loads of good press.”

And he said moving Simon could prove tricky as seals are notoriously difficult to trap; and a rescue operation might involve using a large trawler-style net.

“We could spend days trying to trap a healthy animal; it’s a lot of spent energy” he said adding: “I’m sure he’ll turn around and work his way back sooner or later.”

Have you taken a picture of Simon? Send it to messengernews@thekmgroup.co.uk