Pokemon Go trainers trying to catch ‘Seel’ creatures disturb real-life seals

The local authority has been forced to ask for a Pokestop to be removed to help keep the real seals safe

A Grey Seal pup and it's mothere lay in the grass at the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust's Donna Nook nature reserve on November 24, 2014 in Grimsby, England (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Pokemon Go players looking for virtual Seels have been disturbing real seals on an island.

North Tyneside Council has been forced to ask developers Niantic to remove a Pokestop that was leading people to the real animals and upsetting them.

The grey seals on St Mary’s Island, off Whitley Bay, were hauling back into the sea because of the sheer number of visitors coming to catch virtual Pokemon in the game, the local authority has said.

In a response to a tweet complaining about the Pokestop being removed, North Tyneside Council said: "Pokemon trainers chasing virtual Seels were causing distress to the actual living seals."

And a spokesman said: "We have excellent staff at St Mary's Island who understand the nature of the animals that live there.

"They were concerned that the number of people attracted by Pokemon were causing seals to haul back into the sea due to distress.

"This issue is something that we have been working with conservation groups to avoid and while we recognise that the current Pokemon Go phenomenon provided many people with a lot of pleasure and increased footfall to a number of venues, St. Mary's Island is an area of natural beauty with significant wildlife.

"Our first priority must always be the safety and well-being of the seals on the island and in this instance, we feel that other locations would be more appropriate for Pokestops."