Beachgoers have been warned to be vigilant for a dangerous creature which has been washed up on UK shores.
Dog owners and parents have been warned to look out for the creature, which has a strong venomous sting enough to kill an animal or small child. In some cases, the venom is still strong enough to be fatal even if it is dead.
There have been reported sightings of Portuguese Man O' War on Tywyn beach and on beaches in Harlech, with the creatures only two inches across and could be mistaken for ocean plastic.
Hilary Rowlands, of Tywyn Beach Guardians, said she will not walk her dog along local shorelines in the near future and urged other dog owners to be cautious.
She said: "When they are small, they are one of those things you can easily pick up without thinking about it.
"Dogs snuffling around on the beach can bite them or pick one up. They can look like marine litter, they are nasty little things in disguise.
"Even if these things are washed up, and even if they don’t look like a massive jellyfish, they still have the capacity to deliver a powerful sting.
"If you have an over-enthusiastic dog, your walk might not have a happy ending."
Portuguese Man O' War often gets mistaken for a jellyfish due to its appearance.
It has an enlarged float, which is filled of carbon monoxide and air, and can be as long as 30 centimetres long and as high as 15cm high when in water.
The tentacles which it drags can reach as long as 30m in length and are designed to kill prey such as fish and squids.
It is a colonial organism which are made up of smaller units called zooids. Zooids are genetically identical in a colony but have specialised functions such as feeding and reproducing so the colony can act as a single individual.
Medical or veterinary help is needed immediately if you or your dog are stung by Portuguese Man O' War and reported to council maritime services.
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