Kelly the seal was within a whisker of certain death before construction workers rescued her from a busy road.

She had clambered her way up a river bank and was about to venture into the traffic when she was plucked from danger.

The men circled the bewildered mammal and called limerick animal welfare immediately.

The shelters Niamh Allen said,"I just couldn't believe it when I got the call, someone rang and said," Guess what we found?" "Of course I thought they were going to say a pup."

It's believed the three month old seal, nicknamed Kelly, was separated from her mother during the recent storms and was blown along the river Shannon.

She eventually ended up in the Lower Park area of Corbally in Limerick city on Wednesday morning.

After the week long seperation from her family, the seal is now being treated to mackerel and herring smoothies at the Irish Seal Sanctuary in Garristown, Dublin, in the hope that she makes a full recovery.

Kelly

Niamh said: " She was really dehydrated and her eyes were rolling back in her head, she should have weighed 40kgs and was only about 20kgs when she was found.

"Seals can die very fast when they lose all their fat."

Kelly was brought to a vets surgery to be checked out, a call was then made to a sanctuary in Cork where seal expert Chelsea Collins dropped everything to go to Limerick to see the new arrival.

Niamh said ,"Chelsea gave her some sugar glucose and the seal started flapping. "She fell asleep shortly afterwards, she is just gorgeous."

Now the animal group is planning a big bash for the seals return to Limerick in two months time. If all goes well Kelly will be released to a seal colony near the Shannon Estuary.

Fifteen years ago another seal Sammy hit the headlines when he swam up the Abbey river in Limerick.

A public outcry followed when local fishermen tried to kill it to protect their stock. Luckily he was eventually rescued near the docks.