Great white shark fin spotted off South West coast in bizarre prank

The very realistic fin was bobbing in the water off Devon's coast Credit: Rob Hughes/Devon Sea Safari

A Devon man nearly came face-to-face with a great white shark fin this week - only to discover it was actually a hoax.

Rob Hughes, who runs Devon Sea Safari from Teignmouth, said the incident took place on Tuesday 4 July during a tour with local school children just off the Devon coast.

The skipper said the group were touring near Hope's Nose when they came across the unusual sighting.

Rob said that although he was incredibly shocked at first, it only took a matter of seconds before he realised the realistic fin was in fact the work of a prankster.

He said that the individual who created the hoax fin has contacted Rob, suggesting it was supposed to be a harmless prank.

Rob says a great deal of effort must have gone into the creation of the fin Credit: Rob Hughes/Devon Sea Safari

The skipper believes whoever made the fin did not mean to lose it due to the amount of effort that must have gone in to making it.

He said: "It took me by surprise when I recognised it as a great white fin because I've never seen or heard of them ever in our area, it's not really a normal thing.

"But just a few seconds later I realised it wasn't moving and there was no tail fin.

"I went a bit closer to investigate and discovered it was a pranksters model to look like a shark fin. Which, goodness knows what the reasons behind it are."

Rob, who is familiar with the marine life which appears around Devon's coast, says that although this was supposed to be a harmless joke, it's these type of pranks which can have an impact on coastal businesses.

He said: "I just feel that some of the coastal businesses in the area really don't want that kind of thing happening.

"It's not good for, certainly coasteering companies, kayak companies, people who support the sea swimming we get in the area.

"It's not particularly good for coastal companies in my opinion."

Rob, who captured pictures of the fin before retrieving it from the water, says a great amount of work has gone into its creation.

He said: "The amount of effort that has gone into building it, I would say [they] were more inclined to have kept it. It's been made to look very realistic."

Rob said he has offered to return the fin to the individual who created it, but the offer was rejected. The skipper says that instead it will be broken up and recycled.