Jellyfish spotted off Dorset & Devon coasts

Credit: Andy Butterfield

Sun-seekers in Torquay have encountered a strange sight in the marina waters.

Barrel jellyfish were spotted floating around close to the shore, much to the surprise of visitors enjoying the Easter weekend sunshine.

One on-looker described the friendly animal seeming to come up the slipway.

According to the Wildlife Trust, seeing the barrel jellyfish is common. They are the largest jellyfish found in UK seas and most people's first encounter with them is when they wash ashore in early summer.

This large jellyfish swarm in warmer coastal waters in late Spring. Credit: Andy Butterfield

Elsewhere, the huge jellyfish have also been spotted in Lyme Regis and Charmouth.

RNLI lifeboat crew member Andy Butterfield says catching sight of them was 'amazing'.

These creatures often wash up on our beaches in May or June, sometimes in their hundreds. Credit: Andy Butterfield

They do have stinging tentacle but experts say they are considered harmless to humans.

Spotted by the RNLI lifeboat crew off the coast of Lyme Regis. Credit: Andy Butterfield

What would you do if you saw this floating up to the coast?