Valerie Jones: "The seals waited for each other before they swam off"

The numbered hats have been glued to their heads by the RSPCA to track their progress in the wild.

The hand-reared seals, aged between three and five months, have been cared for at an RSPCA animal centre in Norfolk since they were found on the West Wales coast during winter storms.

It is hoped that the new numbered hats will stay in place for several months until the seals moult.

Conservationists hope to discover for the first time how growing pups rejoin seal colonies and what their survival rate is after being rescued.

The pups were brought by road in vans to Martin's Haven, Pembrokeshire, which overlooks a seal colony at Skomer Island.

The RSPCA wants the public to look out for the hats

Each was named after their rescuers' favourite drinks - Caffrey, Smirnoff, Fanta, Pepsi and Dr Pepper.

Caffrey was the first to enter the water and he others soon followed, playing in the surf before disappearing.

Caffrey and Smirnoff appeared to kiss each other as their heads bobbed above the surface as they swam for the headland.

RSPCA inspector Simon Aggett said: "It was important that they were returned to where they were born.

"Seals on the other side of Britain are genetically different and have resistances to different diseases.