Acting legend Judi Dench paid a very special visit to a seal who shares her name in late September. A grey seal pup rescued from the Cornish coastline on 22 September was named ‘Judi Dench’ in her honour as the animal-loving star and her family dropped by the Cornish Seal Sanctuary in Gweek on the day it was rescued. The pup, estimated to be around three weeks old, was admitted to the site’s hospital, after being found dehydrated with several wounds on Millook Haven Beach. The Sanctuary’s fundraising manager, Leanne Attwood, says: “It was like fate – it just so happened that, as Dame Judi and her family explored the Sanctuary, this pup was admitted to our Seal Hospital”. Throughout her storied acting career, Dame Judi has also been a keen animal lover, with a soft spot for sanctuaries and wildlife centres. Leanne adds: “Our animal care team is now working hard to nurse the pup back to full health, with hopes of successfully releasing her back to the wild as soon as possible”. While Judi the pup recovers in the hospital, the Cornish Seal Sanctuary is fundraising to cover the costs of caring for the many pups who will make it through the doors this season.