A type of jellyfish with a very powerful sting has invaded a Wirral beach.
Over the last week a number of people have reported seeing "huge" jellyfish washing up on New Brighton beach. A number of images sent to The ECHO have confirmed dozens of Lion’s Mane jellyfish measuring up to a meter long have appeared on the beach.
It's very rare to see the lion's mane jellyfish in the UK and they're most often spotted off the coast of Cornwall or in the English Channel, according to British Sea Fishing. In the past the sea creature has been observed on the Shetland Islands, north east coast of England and off the coastline of Wales.
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One woman who was walking between Egremont and New Brighton said she saw between 10-15 of the Lions Mane jellyfish and another 10-15 smaller ones, around the size of the rim of a cup. She said they were "huge" and that there was "no chance" of her swimming in the Mersey.
This species is usually around 50cm wide when found in British waters, but, as the largest jellyfish species in the world it can grow to two metres across, and have tentacles close to 40 metres in length.
The Lion’s Mane jellyfish has a very powerful sting which can cause serious harm to humans and cause blistered red skin and intense pain. Most healthy people just have to wait for the pain to pass.
In very rare cases further complications such as muscle contractions and cramps, respiratory problems and even heart attacks can be caused by the Lion’s Mane jellyfish’s sting. People who find the creatures washed up on the beach are advised be aware that the tentacles retain their potent sting long after they die.
Dead jellyfish should never be touched under any circumstances.
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