A deadly jellyfish with a sting that can kill humans could become a common sight on British beaches as sea temperatures around the UK rise, an expert has warned.
Marine biologist Ruth Chamberlain has said that sightings of the potentially deadly Portuguese Man O' War could be on the rise thanks to climate change.
Her prediction comes after fossil hunters got more than they bargained for when they stumbled upon the jellyfish-like creature washed up on the beach on Thursday (April 13).
Helen Beale said one of her children stumbled across the 'Floating Terror' while fossil hunting with her two kids on Brook beach on the Isle of Wight.
The deadly discovery comes unusually early in the year, usually the alien-looking creatures aren’t found on British beaches until the summer months when sea temperatures are higher.
Helen, 44, said she was alerted to the amazing discovery by her 12 year old daughter Cara, she explained: "She was shouting 'mum, mum, a Portuguese Man O' War' - I didn't believe her.
"They both love marine life and my daughter recognised what it was straight away.
"It just looked absolutely stunning, really unusual and alien like.
"I'd never seen one before, but always hoped that we would - we just never expected to find one on a UK beach in April.
"It was so pretty and tempting to touch.
"But there were so many people with kids and dogs as it was the Easter holidays, someone could easily get hurt."
To avoid this, they drew a circle around the dead creature and wrote 'do not touch' in the sand.
Portuguese Man O' Wars float with the help of a gas-filled bladder, topped by a vertical membrane which serves as a sail as it travels through water.
It has long threads trailing behind it, which can reach lengths of 30m long, which armed with thousands of stinging cells.
A single tentacle can kill a fish - and also be fatal to humans if there is an allergic reaction because of the resulting anaphylactic shock.
Portuguese Man O' War's - also known as Floating Terrors - are however, rarely deadly to people but their sting can be painful and can cause welts on exposed skin.
Ms Chamberlain, who has completed a Coastal Marine Biology degree and works at Protect Jellyfish - a supplier of captive bred jellyfish - warned sightings like these could become more common as water temperatures rise.
They are primarily found in tropical and subtropical oceans, however it is common for them to wash up on UK beaches during the autumn months.
While sightings are common in autumn after the sun has warmed the sea all summer, she said an April sighting was unusual.
"This one might have been blown in by the recent stormy weather and strong winds," she said.
However, she explained why we might have to get used to seeing the creature that so accurately resembles an 18th-century Portuguese warship under full in UK waters.
"Warmer water means algae does better," she continued.
"Plankton eat algae and where there's plankton - there's jellyfish and the like.
"Small fish as well will feed there, which the Man O' War eat.
"So, possibly we'll be seeing more of them."
The carnivorous Portuguese Man O' War aren't technically jellyfish, as they use their bladder to 'sail' through the water on the surface rather than pulsate and float underwater.
They are in fact a hydrozoan and made up of a colony of four different species which work together symbiotically, including the balloon bladder, the tentacles, the reproductive plant and a basic digestive system.
They pack a nasty punch on the tentacles, and can still sting even once washed up and dead.
"In this country, the Man O' War has the nastiest sting," she continued.
"The problem with all stings is that it depends on the person.
"A bee sting, for example, can hurt one person, but kill another - it's the same with these stings.
"You can't be certain, it really does depend on the person."
If stung, the NHS advises rinsing the area with seawater, soaking it in very warm water for at least 30 minutes and to take painkillers.
Upon seeing one of these intriguing creatures washed up, she said: "Of course, approach with caution.
"Don't touch it, don't try and put it back in the sea because it's probably damaged or dead and we'll just blow straight back in.
"Mostly, keep children and pets away from it.
"If dogs are sniffing around and find it, they can get stung and that's going to be a problem."
