Room for one more? Seal stuns paddleboarder as it hops onboard and sunbathes while she cruises around Poole harbour

A 'showboating' seal left a paddleboarder completely stunned after it jumped on to her board and lazily sunbathed while she cruised around a harbour.

Rachael Towers, from Dorchester, was out paddleboarding with her friend Sam Ball in Poole Harbour, Dorset, when a young seal unexpectedly made a bee-line for her board.

The recruitment advisor, 24, was terrified the marine mammal would burst her inflatable paddleboard with its sharp claws, but to her surprise, it happily hopped on to her board.

Rachael said the seal was so massive it rocked her board at first before it settled and lazily sunbathed while she paddled around the harbour for around half-an-hour.

Rachael Towers , from Dorchester, was out paddleboarding with her friend Sam Ball in Poole Harbour, Dorset, when a young seal unexpectedly climbed on to her board

Rachael said her friend Sam saw the seal and wanted to go over to it, but she was terrified and didn't want it on her board, but it came over and climbed on anyway

She explained: 'My friend Sam and I were taking our paddleboards out.

'He saw the seal popping up and down near some other paddle boarders and said 'let's go over' but I said absolutely not.

'I didn't want it on my board, I was petrified.

'Then the seal poked its head up, clocked me and just started making a bee-line towards me.

The recruitment advisor , 24, was terrified the mammal would burst her inflatable paddleboard with its sharp claws, but to her surprise, it happily hopped on to her board

Despite her initial fear, she quickly realised the seal was very friendly and started to enjoy his company as he jumped from on and off both her and Sam's boards

'When it climbed on it rocked my board so much because he was huge. He just sort of slithered himself on and scooched up really near me so his whole body was out of the water.' 

Despite her initial fear, she quickly realised the seal was very friendly and started to enjoy his company as he jumped from on and off both her and Sam's boards. 

The newbie paddleboarder continued: 'He just sat there for a while and was even yawning at one point - I was a bit worried when I saw all his teeth.

'But after a while I realised he wasn't going to scratch or bite me so I started paddling around a little bit.

Rachael said the seal was so massive it rocked her board at first before it settled and lazily sunbathed while she paddled around the harbour for around half-an-hour

The two friends (pictured Sam and the seal) were left stunned by the experience, and said the 'showboating' seal, who they adoringly named Simon, was extremely friendly

'He was jumping off my board, swimming around for a bit then jumping on Sam's board.'

The two friends were left stunned by the once-in-a-lifetime experience, and said the 'showboating' seal, who they adoringly named Simon, was extremely friendly.

She added: 'I think he was probably around us for about an hour but actually on our boards for about half an hour.

'He was such a show pony, he was playing up for everyone.

'I've never experienced anything like it. I'm still so new to paddle boarding, but I can't see how I'll top that.'