Beachgoers were caught on camera screaming and fleeing in terror as a huge sea lion charged up a beach.

Sea lions, which are an endangered and protected species, often gather at La Jolla Cove beach in San Diego, California.

During the summer, tourists flock to the beach to take pictures and videos of the animals.

But visitors got more than they bargained for when two of the large creatures charged at them, the BBC reports.

Children screamed and people ran for cover when the first sea lion walked along the shoreline towards a group of visitors, fleeing up concrete steps to a building above the cove.

As it did so a loudspeaker announcement said: ‘Everybody, please give that large male sea lion plenty of room.

‘They have bit people, and they are protected animals.’

Seconds later a second sea lion emerged from the sea, close to a group of people around waist deep in the water, before charging towards another group on the beach.

The first sea lion wandered along the shoreline (Picture: Japhet Perez Estrada/Storyful)

The second sea lion emerged from the sea and charged at crowds (Picture: Japhet Perez Estrada/Storyful)

It continued to chase people as they scrambled across the rocks (Picture: Japhet Perez Estrada/Storyful)

People scrambled over rocks and ran for the stairs to avoid the charging sea lion – while more of the animals seemed content to lay on the shore nearby.

La Jolla Cove is known for being home to both sea lions and seals, and the beach is promoted as a great place to see the animals in their natural habitat.

Lifeguards are on hand to enforce San Diego laws protecting the animals. The rules include:

Keep your distance: don’t get too close to the animals or touch them, as you could pass on diseases.

Do not feed: they can catch their own food, and any food you give them could make them sick.

Pick up your rubbish: any litter dropped could be eaten by an animal or blown into the ocean.

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‘Everybody, please give that large male sea lion plenty of room. They have bit people, and they are protected animals.’