A DREAM work placement definitely gets the 'seal' of approval from this student.
Each week Luke Kendall completes a placement at South Walney Nature Reserve were he has been involved in the fascinating work observing and recording seal pups.
The 20-year-old, who is passionate about wildlife and nature, has been working alongside the team at the Cumbria Wildlife Trust-run reserve, which hosts the principal haul out site for grey seals in Cumbria.
The seals on the island were thought to be a non-breeding colony, but until last year when the first recorded pups arrived. Then there were more pupils spotted this year.
Often more than 100 seals haul out to rest and sleep on the isolated shingle spit on the nature reserve. The public can not view them from this protected area - but they can watch them on the trust's website via the reserve's SealCam.
The student of Beaumont College, based within the Barrow Sixth Form College building, has been involved with filming and taking photos of the adults seals and pups, using a moving camera and monitoring their behaviour.
He is also involved with bird counts and maintenance work on site and the placement is allowing him to complete his John Muir Explorer Award.
The student also spends time conserving the beaches on the reserve, as well as conservation work with birds and hedgehogs.
The reserve and tutors have been impressed with his work and his pictures have feature on Cumbria Wildlife Trust's Twitter feed.
The student is also extremely pleased with his work so far on the placement.
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