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Terrified tourists flee 8ft shark spotted swimming close to Benidorm beach

Tourists were seen fleeing the water as the suspected shark swam close to the beach (Twitter.com/shanksy03)
Tourists were seen fleeing the water as the suspected shark swam close to the beach (Twitter.com/shanksy03)

Holidaymakers have forced to flee the water in the Spanish holiday resort of Benidorm after a shark was spotted in the shallows.

Tourist Julie Roberts, 56, had just finished swimming off Levante Beach on the Costa Blanca when she set eyes on the fearsome creature.

The fish is described as being around 8ft long (Twitter.com/shanksy03)
The fish is described as being around 8ft long (Twitter.com/shanksy03)

As she left the water, Julie, from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, told The Sun that lifeguards immediately started blowing whistles to warn other swimmers.

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She said: “We looked over and could see two fins coming towards the shoreline. There was a snorkeller just feet away from this animal and he didn’t realise. It was terrifying.”

Another holidaymaker shared his video of the shocking sighting on Twitter, commenting that he had “never seen so many people get out of the water so quick in my life”.

Julie added: “There was another lady swimming on her own the other side and she was totally oblivious to what was going on.

“Everyone was shouting at her to try and get her attention and I have never seen anyone move quite so quick as she did when she realised.”

Levante Beach in Benidorm is one of Europe's top package holiday destinations (Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images)
Levante Beach in Benidorm is one of Europe’s top package holiday destinations (Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images)

Julie – who estimates that the shark was around 8ft long – said that, while it appeared to be in some distress in the shallows, it was able to get itself back out to sea.