A tourist was left "gobsmacked" after discovering several enormous jellyfish on a Scots beach. Tate Tremayne was visiting his in-laws in Portpatrick, Dumfries-shire, over the May Bank Holiday weekend when he stumbled across the monstrous sea creatures washed up on the shore.
The 23-year-old said he and his partner found four jellyfish bigger than any they had seen, including one they claimed was "bigger than a car tyre".
Speaking to Yorkshire Live, he said: "I was gobsmacked at the size of it when I first saw the jellyfish, I didn’t believe we had ones that big in our waters."
In a picture snapped by the Huddersfield bartender, one jellyfish can be seen in the water, with a couple more beached on the shore.
He said: "I wasn’t as scared as I would’ve been if I was in the water, I was lucky enough to just be taking a stroll with my partner when we found the four of them. I didn’t touch them as I wasn’t sure if it would sting me or not. It was definitely bigger than a car tyre and that was just the top of it."
According to the Wildlife Trusts website, the Barrel jellyfish is the largest in UK waters. The creatures can grow up to the size of dustbin lids and can often be found on beaches in May and June, as they prefer warmer water.
Beachgoers are advised not to handle Barrel jellyfish, as they can still sting even after they are dead. However, their sting is not usually significantly harmful to humans.
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