Love Island star Lucie Rose Donlan has come to the rescue of a seal sanctuary between Helston and Falmouth.

The surfing model used her huge following to raise awareness of the plight of the Cornish Seal Sanctuary at Gweek after it struggled with funding during the lockdown.

It needed more than £23,000 a month just to look after the animals and provide the vital medical care needed.

The tourist attraction said it came as a huge surprise when Lucie offered to help.

The sanctuary invited Lucie to visit when they re-opened, to introduce her to the team and the animals and to thank her for everything she has done.

This new partnership blossomed and Lucie has now agreed to become an official ambassador for the Cornish Seal Sanctuary.

Read next: Cornish Seal Sanctuary at Gweek reopening date and booking information

Lucie, of Newquay, said: "I am so honoured to have been made an ambassador for this much-loved sanctuary that not only does amazing work but also is a fun and exciting attraction full of educational facts and information.

"Myself and my family enjoyed a private tour around the sanctuary at the beginning of the week and we were very impressed with what we saw.

"I wanted to say a huge thank you to all the friendly and informative staff who made our day not only memorable but also educational. I'm so proud of attractions such as this in Cornwall, just knowing that people care deeply about the welfare and rehabilitation of these beautiful creatures.

"It's so important to keep these sanctuaries fully operative and I'm passionate about being chosen as an ambassador and hope to be able to work closely with them so that they can continue to work their magic for the rescued and injured seals."

The sanctuary has now re-opened but all tickets need to be booked in advance.