Invasion of the purple jellyfish
Water in harbour turns wobbly in heatwave Britain
The water was moving like a purple jelly. It was an incredible, lovely sight JEANNETTE CANN ILFRACOMBE SHOPKEEPER
TENS of thousands of stinging jellyfish turned the sea bright purple in the heatwave.
Moon jellyfish, which have a mild sting, have appeared in British waters in unprecedented numbers this summer.
They left this harbour in Ilfracombe, North Devon, looking like it was filled with jelly.
Similar scenes were repeated along the coast after the warmer-than-usual water sparked a breeding boom.
Shopkeeper Jeannette Cann, 50, said: “The water was moving like a purple jelly. It was an incredible sight.
“The water looked purple, which was lovely, but it was still a rather shocking thing to see as most of them were dying.”
Ilfracombe harbourmaster Rob Lawson said the sight was unusual. He added: “Moon jellyfish can give a mild sting like a nettle, but they can’t penetrate the skin.” But Paula Ferris, chair of Coastwise North Devon, warned: “Touching them in sensitive areas, such as around the eyes, can be damaging.”
The jellyfish invasion came as Britain continued to bask in warm summer temperatures which are set to near 30C today.
Scotland and the north will stay cooler. And the hot weather brings the threat of thunderstorms by the end of the week.
Downpours could dump up to 2in of rain in a matter of hours, sparking flash floods and travel disruption. Tomorrow is likely to be the hottest day of the week, with 29C in London.
Forecaster Emma Sharples said: “It will turn fresher into the weekend, although the south will hold on to the warm weather with temperatures in the 20Cs.”
A severe weather warning for heavy rain today and Friday has been issued across much of England and Wales.