The five young adult seals were released from a beach at St Martins' Haven on Tuesday night.

Seals are abandoned by their mothers when they are young but some of them simply can't cope with life on their own so we give them a helping hand

Romain de Kerckhove

They were found as orphaned pups along the coastline of south west Wales last winter and reared at the RSPCA's wildlife hospital in Norfolk.

Since then they have been receiving intensive medical treatment and fed a special diet to fatten them up so they are ready for the rigours of life back in the wild.

The animals were transported to south west Wales from Norfolk in two vans.

Elin Angharad Davies, of the RSPCA in Wales, said: "They travelled in comfort and really enjoyed the journey.

"They are animals which travel very well and are like babies sleeping all the way.

The pups have grown into young adults

"They don't need to be in water but there were plenty of stops along the way so they could be sprayed with water to keep them moist."

The Pembrokeshire coast is home to around 5,000 grey seals.

RSPCA inspectors in Wales said fewer seals then ever before have had to be rescued over the winter months because of mild weather.

Only 10 had to be rescued compared to 25 in previous years.

RSPCA Chief Inspector Romain de Kerckhove said there were a number of reasons why orphaned seals had to be taken out of their natural habitat.

Traumatised seals

"Seals are abandoned by their mothers when they are young but some of them simply can't cope with life on their own so we give them a helping hand. Others are injured," he said.

The RSPCA has established a specialist seal nursing unit in south west Wales.

Llys Nini animal centre, in Penllergaer near Swansea, treats and cares for traumatised seals.

Animals in need of treatment are initially taken to Llys Nini before being transferred to Norfolk.