PEOPLE have been warned to keep away from jellyfish which have washed up on beaches in Fife.
Jellyfish have reportedly been spotted at Pittenweem and Burntisland beaches, with locals being warned to avoid the sea creatures, whose “nasty sting” can in rare cases be fatal.
The Lion’s Mane jellyfish have been reported to the Fife Coast and Countryside Trust.
They have been described as translucent brown to reddish with a thick mane of hundreds of long hair-like tentacles up to 3m in length, the oldest of which are coloured dark red.
A spokesperson for the trust said: “We’ve had reports of Lion’s mane jellyfish at Pittenweem and Burntisland beaches.
“You can spot them because they have a thick mane of hundreds of long, hair-like tentacles.
“These tentacles give a very nasty sting, so consult a doctor if swelling or weals are severe.”
The Fife Coast and Countryside Trust has warned people to avoid the jellyfish and to also keep their pets away from them.
They added that if anyone is unlucky enough to be stung by a Lion’s mane jellyfish, they should scrape the area with a clean stick or remove the tentacle with tweezers, then rinse the area with warm to hot water to reduce swelling.
