Reid Lifting's lightweight gantry crane during the rescue.

When a seal pup became trapped by boulders on a South Wales beach, Reid Lifting came to the rescue with one of its lightweight gantry cranes.

The gantry system was erected above the seal, nicknamed Miracle by volunteers, and levelled out on an uneven surface created by rocks on Aberavon Beach in Port Talbot. It was utilised to remove boulders, originally thought to be approximately 1,000 kg in weight, which was the linchpin to the whole rescue operation.

Nic de Celis, a Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) inspector, says: "This was, unquestionably, the most technical rescue I have ever been involved with as an RSPCA inspector. The modular-type, specialist-lifting gantry was integral to completing this rescue."

The rescue was a multi-organisation operation involving Lifting Gear & Safety, which provided the gantry; the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI); British Divers' Marine Life Rescue; Sea-Lift Diving Ltd.; Associated British Ports (ABP); and Neath Port Talbot Council.

Nick Battersby, managing director at Reid Lifting, says: "Further to the versatility demonstrated by such a unique application, the seal pup rescue also showcased how a rapid response to an emergency or unscheduled situation can be delivered to an end-user through our rental partners."

It's not clear how Miracle, thought to be stuck for at least two days, became stranded beneath the boulders, but once freed, the seal, which appeared to be unharmed, was taken to a special sanctuary in Taunton, Somerset.