A huge jellyfish about a metre across has alarmed locals in a coastal town after it washed up on a beach this week.
The enormous creature made landfall on the shore at Fairbourne, Gwynedd, North Wales, prompting a huge reaction on social media. It is thought to have swum into the area after being lured in by algal blooms along the coast before being caught in the tide.
North Wales Live reports that the beast is believed to be a barrel jellyfish, which are normally about 40cm across. They are also known as "dustbin lid" jellyfish because of their comparative size.
When a photo of the Fairbourne "monster" was shared on social media, it prompted an outburst of startled exclamations. One woman wrote: "Jeeeeeeze, size of that bad boy!!!!"
"Don't be dipping your toes in when u go," warned one woman. Another agreed: "Oh my goodness!!! Nooooooo, that's me even more nervous."
A man from the West Midlands joked: "Cancelled my holiday now, thanks." Pondering how to remove it, one woman channelled 1975 flick Jaws, adding: "Need a bigger boat."
The jellyfish is ultimately thought to have vanished on the next high tide. Towns along the coast are used to seeing the creatures come and go, particularly during "jellyfish season" from mid-spring to late summer.
Dustin jellyfish have eight frilly arms, which contain small stinging tentacles and hundreds of little mouths. In deeper waters, they can reach 150cm, making them the largest jellyfish in British waters.
In May and June, they swarm in warmer coastal waters to feed on plankton, but often wash up on beaches after underestimating the strength of coastal tides. They also attract leatherback turtles, which prey upon jellies and other gelatinous creatures such as sea squirts.
Occasionally, the turtles themselves wash up on the west Wales coast. In 1988, the world's largest leatherback washed up at Harlech, Gwynedd, weighing 914kg.
Described by a local farmer who said it was "bigger than a cow and the shape of a VW beetle car", it is now on display at the National Museum Cardiff.
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