Hundreds of jellyfish line Westward Ho! beach

Hundreds of jellyfish have turned up on a North Devon beach this morning.

The jellies were seen lining the shore by a dog walker on Westward Ho! Beach, on Saturday, July 4.

Blue Jellyfish are considered very common in the UK and are often seen around the coastline in summer and autumn.

They eat plankton found in shallow waters, which is often what causes them to wash up. The blue jellyfish can drift along and easily capture their prey with their dense, stinging tentacles.

The Wildlife Trusts say the dome-shaped jellies do sting, and advise not to handle one if found on the beach.

Bob Walters, who saw the display this morning, said “lots and lots” of jellyfish could be seen on the beach, adding that only one surfer was in the water, before “two brave ladies” jumped in the sea for a morning dip.

Blue Jellyfish can be identified by their dome-shaped bell and trailing stinging tentacles. The Wildlife Trusts’ website says the bell colour depends on their maturity, with younger jellies being a pale yellow and older ones being purple.

Elsewhere, in Cornwall, footage captured by Bude Sea Pool showed a huge jellyfish bloom stranded by a high tide, completely covering the concrete and filling the shallows at the semi-natural tidal pool.

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