A WANDERING walrus that waddled ashore at Calshot has caused a similar stir 300 miles away in Yorkshire after completing his latest voyage.

Huge crowds flocked to the seaside resort of Scarborough following what is thought to have been the first sighting of a walrus in the county.

Civic chiefs decided to cancel the town's new year fireworks display amid fears the event would distress the mammal.

Nicknamed Thor, the bulky creature was seen snoozing on the beach near Calshot Activities Centre on December 11.

A week later he turned up in the French town of Dieppe, having visited the Netherlands at the start of November before making his brief visit to Hampshire last month.

READ MORE: Walrus swims away from Calshot beach - Watch video

The walrus arrived in Scarborough on Friday night and quickly became Yorkshire's newest tourist attraction.

Local wildlife experts asked people not to disturb the creature, saying he appeared to be "taking a break" before moving on and continuing his journey north.

A cordon was put in place to keep crowds away from Thor, who is now reported to have left the resort.

Local resident Richard Coulson, 51, said: "The traffic up and down our road – it’s just like a summer’s day.

"We see seals quite regularly around the Scarborough coastline but something of that size, it’s enormous. Its tusks are bigger than my arms."

Stuart Ford, who runs the Sealife Safari boat tour agency, added: "I was going down to my boat and there it was on the slipway – magnificent. It’s got to be half a ton."

READ MORE: Large walrus spotted snoozing on Calshot beach

The Sea Life Scarborough aquarium said its animal care team was monitoring the walrus’s situation, along with the RSPCA and British Divers Marine Life Rescue.

Posting on social media they added: "He appears well and is just taking a well-deserved rest after his long adventure!

"Please be respectful of his rest and try not to disturb him."

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