Hidden gem UK seaside village with beautiful beach where you might spot dolphins

Head to Seaham and you might spot dolphins (Image: Getty) A UK seaside village which has been described as a ‘hidden gem’ could be the perfect place to relax on the beach and spot dolphins. Seaham, County Durham, in the north east of England, is home to one of the nation’s best beaches. The former-mining village is well-known by locals for its terrific sea glass and spectacular wildlife. Alongside relaxing on the beach, tourists to the area have seen porpoises and dolphins just off Seaham’s shores. In recent months, the town has begun to go viral on social media after footage and photos of dolphin sightings appeared on platforms such as TikTok . Seaglass (Image: Getty) Tiktok star Nathan Sayers is one of many people to have shared footage of dolphins leaping through the water. Furthermore, Seaham has also gained notoriety on Tripadvisor. One person wrote: ‘Staying on the beach gave us a prime viewing of the pod of dolphins that swam along the coast catching fish – great photo opportunity.’ Seaham isn’t just known for its wildlife, it’s also become famous for its sea glass, a material which can be found among the pebbles and stones lying on the sand. Seaham’s beach has become known for its dolphin sightings (Image: Getty) The sea glass has proved popular with tourists. On Tripadvisor, one person wrote: ‘It is a lovely beach, dog-friendly (North Road). ‘We went in July. The water was cold but very clear. The sand sparkled in places in a magical way; probably from the last tiny glass remains. ‘Other pebbles and some larger which give a mix of sand and pebble beach. Lovely morning walk and would recommend if you’re passing.’ This is Durham claimed: “No two sea glass pebbles are the same, in shape or colour. You’ll find all sorts of different colours and types of glass.’ Seaham features a powerful World War 1 memorial (Image: Getty) They added: “You can spot sea glass at any time during low tide, however, some hunters choose to follow the tide out a few hours after hide tide. ‘With every wave new sea glass is washed up onto the beach and snatched back, never to be seen again.” Away from Seaham’s beach sits another, more sombre monument. Known as Tommy, it is a statue of a World War 1 soldier sitting down. Designed by Ray Lonsdale it was originally called 1101. Tommy’s original name referred to the first minute of peace after the armistice was signed at 11am on November 11, 1918. The name Tommy is a reference to slang for British soldiers during World War 1 . The statue has proved popular since it was installed in Seaham with visitors remarking on the power of the artwork. One person said it captured ‘the essence of the deep emotional trauma that World War veterans mostly all felt both on the battlefield’.