Warning as killer creatures wash up on English beaches

Beachgoers have been warned to stay vigilant after sightings of venomous jellyfish-like creatures across Dorset’s beaches last week.

The Portuguese man o’war has been found washed up on multiple beaches, including Chesil Beach on January 19.

The Portuguese man o’war is typically found in the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean. It has numerous venomous cells that can launch a sting powerful enough to kill or paralyse small organisms.

These types of fish tend to stay in open water but can get washed up closer to the shore following long spells of strong south-westerly winds. With no independent means of propulsion, they drift with the currents.

They are sometimes found in groups of 1000 or more, floating in warm waters.

Sarah Hodgson from Dorset Wildlife Trust said: "They turn up most years, usually during the winter period when we typically experience more stormy conditions.

"Portuguese man o’ war live on the surface of the water using their balloon-like float as a sail, drifting where the wind and currents take them."

These creatures appear to look like jellyfish, but the Portuguese man o’war is a siphonophore, an animal made up of a colony of organisms working together.

It uses its tentacles to capture and ensnare its prey, which can extend up to 165 feet in length below the surface. However, 30 feet is closer to the average.

But aside from delivering an excruciating sting, the Portuguese man o’war is rarely deadly to humans.

"If swimming in an area where Portuguese man o’ war have been spotted in recent days, it would be a good idea to wear a wetsuit for protection”, Hodgson added, advising swimmers to stay alert.

"Care should also be taken if they are found washed up on the beach as they still have the capacity to sting, even after they have died, so look but do not touch."