I KNOW that the sighting of a seal in Warrington is newsworthy and an unusual thing for people to see (Warrington Guardian, April 26).

However I want to let you know of the devastation that such a creature has on the fish life in the river.

The Mersey is a recovering river.

Over the past 10 years it has established itself as a popular angling venue with a large population of different species including salmon.

The last time the seal visited the river it had a devastating effect on the larger species that live in the river.

Every photo that was seen of the seal showed it devouring a large pike or bream.

These species are a valuable part of the river’s ecosystem. Anglers will tell you how difficult it is to now catch any of these larger species.

The return of the seal is not something to be celebrated.

After all, it is a species that shouldn’t be this far up the river.

Hopefully it will return to its real home sooner rather than later.

STEPHEN CARTLEDGE Warrington