Mum ‘surrounded by jellyfish bigger than head’ at UK beauty spot issues warning

A worried mum has issued a warning about massive jellyfish "bigger than her head" washed up in their droves on a stunning UK beach.

Thousands flock to Formby Beach near Liverpool when the sun makes an appearance, and as Kate Lally strolled along the sandy beach with her headphones in, she nearly stepped on a monster.

The 33-year-old said she saw dozens of the stingers strewn across the beach, washed up from warmer climes.

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She told the Liverpool ECHO:"I go to Formby beach quite often and I've never seen jellyfish that big, they were bigger than my head. I was listening to a podcast so I wasn't giving my full attention to exactly where I was walking and I almost stood on it.

"I was only on the beach for 15 minutes or so and I saw dozens of them washed up."

Kate said seeing the jellyfish made her "shudder" after she was stung by a number of them in July 2021. At the time she had only been in the sea at Formby beach for eight minutes when she described "blinking" and being surrounded by the animals.

She suffered stings to her right arm and both upper legs. Two days later and all three stings are still extremely prominent on her skin.

She told the ECHO: "I wouldn't let it put me off going to the beach but I do think people need to be careful especially if they've got young kids or pets with them."

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Vicky Blane, general manager for Formby Beach at the National Trust, said: "During the summer months jellyfish can often be spotted in the sea around the UK. At Formby you might spot varieties like the harmless barrel jellyfish, or the compass jellyfish that can give you a painful sting.

"Although most jellyfish found in the UK do not cause serious harm, we advise anyone stung by a jellyfish to seek medical attention. You can avoid jellyfish stings by staying alert for the sight of them in the water, as well as on the beach.

"We also recommend swimming shoes for anyone taking a dip in the sea."

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