Residents of Pembrokeshire got a shock this week when an otter made itself known on one of the county’s beaches, before going on a wander and ending up in a village garden.

A number of surfers on one of Pembrokeshire’s beaches noticed the otter running around the beach at sometime on Thursday, January 5, running between their legs.

The otter then decided to go inland, to Marloes, where a resident spotted it in their garden and called Pembrokeshire Marine Wildlife.

The organisation said that the otter ‘seemed to have no fear of people’ and was apparently ‘pretty healthy but has probably become abandoned.’

All ended well for the otter, which was taken away by the Welsh Marine Life Rescue, before finding a play mate when being passed on to somebody at the RSPCA.

Western Telegraph: The otter being taken awayThe otter being taken away (Image: Pembrokeshire Marine Wildlife)

A spokesperson from Pembrokeshire Marine Wildlife said: “Thanks to those who reported this young otter to us. It was down at a local beach where it had made itself known to a few surfers, running between their legs!

“Then a Marloes resident called up to say it was in their garden. It seemed to have no fear of people.

“Otters (there is only one type of otter in the UK - rivers, sea, Scottish Lochs) are frequent around our whole coast where they eat fish and eels and crabs and breed in scrubby areas near to freshwater.

“They are a feature of the Pembrokeshire Marine Special Area of Conservation.

“They are solitary apart from coming together to breed. Mums tend to have one to a few pups and keep them with them until around a year old.

“They are weaned at around three months. This one seems pretty healthy but has probably become abandoned or something has happened to mum.

“Thanks to Welsh Marine Life Rescue for taking it away. They are passing it on to someone in the RSPCA who is already looking after an otter so this one will have a play mate.”