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Unusual noises heard coming from the direction of Hilbre Island at Halloween turned out to be seals.
Wirral Coastguard was called out yesterday evening after members of the public heard whimpering and groaning, raising concerns that someone may have been in difficulty.
The team deployed onto the beach and conducted a search looking and listening for any signs of a person requiring assistance.During the search, team members heard sounds matching those originally reported, coming from the direction of Middle Eye.
These were recognised as the calls of seals, which can sound remarkably similar to human cries and groans, particularly when heard across the water at night.
Lights were also observed on Hilbre Island, but there was nothing to indicate anyone was in distress, with people staying on the island.Following the search, no persons in difficulty were located.
A spokesperson for Wirral Coastguard said: "Whilst Halloween is a night often associated with unusual sounds, this was a genuine concern raised by members of the public who did exactly the right thing by reporting it.
"We would like to thank the first informants for their vigilance and for remaining on scene to assist the team with their enquiries. Their actions helped us establish the nature and location of the sounds reported.
"This was a false alarm with good intent, and we would always encourage anyone concerned that someone may be in difficulty along our coastline to contact the Coastguard."
Photo credit: Wirral Coastguard
