Fears gigantic ‘killer’ jellyfish could land on UK beaches during mini heatwave
BRITS should BEWARE of giant "killer" jellyfish swarming UK shores this summer, after 62 of the sea creatures were spotted last year.
Their powerful sting leaves horrendous skin burns and can even be deadly - but experts have predicted more jellyfish sightings again as temperatures rise.
Windy weather and strong tides sweep Portuguese Man o’ War jellyfish to British beaches, a terrifying breed which can grow tentacles of 160ft.
The huge fish drift unseen below the water's surface and have a brutal sting.
The powerful beasts trap swimmers in their agonising tentacles - and can even kill.
In 2010 Maria Furcas, 69, suffered an allergic reaction and tragically died after being stung on the leg by a Man o' War as she swam with her sister at Porto Tramatzu near Cagliari, Sardinia.
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Kate Lally was "attacked" by a jellyfish last summer, while taking a dip to cool off at Formby Beach in July 2021.
"At first it felt like a wasp sting, over a bigger area of skin," she wrote in the .
"Then it started to burn, and I washed it with hot water when I got home, as per NHS guidance.
"After that, there was no sign of my stings and I couldn't feel anything either.
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"But after a night's sleep, I woke up with horrendous, hot, itchy markings on my arm and both upper legs.
"Standing outside in the hot weather today makes them throb."
High temperatures are set to warm the shallow waters near beaches this summer and the tide washes up the tiny marine creatures on which the jellyfish feed.
Leatherback turtles also head to UK seas in summer to eat jellyfish - so spotting one might mean the other is nearby.
As the UK's basks in a record-breaking heatwave, thousands flocked to the coast to cool off in the sea.
About 50,000 flooded the beach in Bournemouth, Dorset, yesterday with some families arriving at sunrise to secure their spots on the sand ahead of the heatwave.
Queues to get an ice cream are at least 20 minutes long and 3,000 deckchairs and 1,200 sun loungers have been rented out.
Over the weekend more than 100,000 people are expecting to pay that stretch of coast a visit and most of the resort's 30,000 hotel rooms are already full.
As Brits dip their toes and paddle around the country, families should be especially careful of keeping their little ones safe.
The NHS recommends rinsing a sting with seawater and not fresh water.
You should also remove any spines from the skin using tweezers or the edge of a bank card and soak the area in very warm water, as hot as can be tolerated, for at least 30 minutes and use hot flannels or towels if you can't soak it.
Take take painkillers like paracetamol or ibuprofen if you can, but do not use vinegar or pee on it.
Don't apply an ice or cold pack on the sting, don't touch any spines with your bare hands and don't cover or close the wound.
Amy Pilsbury, Citizen Science Programme Developer at the Marine Conservation Society, told the : “Portuguese Man o’ War jellyfish have a very powerful sting, so if you spot their oval-shaped, transparent float with a crest, keep clear.
"Our jellyfish sighting records show that these jellyfish-like creatures (they’re actually a floating colony of very small animals) are extremely rare in the UK.
"We had 62 reported sightings of Portuguese Man O' War in 2021."
She added: "Jellyfish come to the UK’s coasts during the summer months every year, but it’s more to do with the wind carrying Portuguese Man o’ War to our coasts, than temperature having an effect.
"Due to their large air-filled floats, they can easily be blown in windy weather, so often you might spot more than one.
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"Please share your sighting with us at the Marine Conservation Society, all the information we receive on jellyfish sightings helps us understand when, where and why these creatures are showing up on our shores.
"Leatherback turtles head to UK seas in summer for a jellyfish feast, so seeing a jelly at the seaside could mean a turtle is nearby.”
WHAT TO DO IF YOU GET STUNG BY A JELLYFISH
Do
- Rinse the sting with seawater (not freshwater)
- Remove any spines from the skin with tweezers
- Soak the sting in water (as hot as possible) for 30minutes or use hot flannels/towels
- Take painkillers like paracetamol or Ibuprofen
Don't
- Use vinegar on the sting
- Pee on the sting
- Apply ice or a cold pack
- Touch any spines with bare hands
- Cover or close the wound
