A seal who hit the headlines when her other half went missing during stormy weather last year is preparing to celebrate her 20th birthday by splashing out in a brand new pool.
Laurel, a resident at the St Andrews Aquarium in Fife, was left devastated when her beloved partner Hardy was washed out to sea amid 20-foot high swells last April.
However, she is now adjusting to life as a single girl and is looking forward to stretching out in one of the UK’s largest saltwater seal pools.
Laurel has been at the aquarium since she was a pup and the staff are eagerly anticipating her milestone birthday on Monday.
Aquarium manager John Mace said the much-loved seal could look forward to enjoying her more advanced years in well-deserved luxury.
“We are delighted that we are able to continue to develop our seal enclosure, giving Laurel even more space to roam and play,” he said. “The natural saltwater pool is essential to Laurel’s general wellbeing and we use Fife’s finest natural seawater for her to swim in.”
The new extended pool represents a five-figure investment in the aquarium’s facilities.
There was devastation when Laurel’s long-term partner, Hardy, went missing at the height of last April’s storm.
Hopes had been high that the 18-year-old would return to the area once calmer weather returned but there have never been any confirmed sightings.
Although his enclosure was normally well out of the danger zone, a combination of exceptionally high tides and gale force winds spelt disaster.