A woman has been left perplexed after stumbling across a strange, wriggling sea creature on a beach in East Lothian.
The lady, who does not wish to be named, was walking her dog along Fisherrow beach, Musselburgh, at around 11.30am when she noticed the critter in low tide lying amongst the rocks and pebbles.
The "big" animal was reportedly 4/5 inches in length and appeared to have tentacle-like features.
Recognising that the creature was on its back, the woman turned it over to reveal a shell which blended in with its sandy surroundings - a stark contrast from the wormy appearance of its body underneath.
The dog owner was so intrigued by the squirming animal that she posted a photo and a video of it on Facebook to see if locals had any clue as to what it might have been.
Several replies came in, many of them asserting that the animal in question was a sea mouse, which is a large marine worm found on all UK coasts.
One man commented: "It’s called a 'Sea Mouse' and it burrows in silt".
Another said: "That’s the underside, the dorsal aspect is covered in tiny hairs which glint in the sun".
A third added that the unattractive worm looked like "a big nit".
The woman told the Record: "I had no idea what it was. It was alive.
"I wasn’t freaked out. I have lived by the sea all my life.
"It was on its back when I found it. I turned it over."
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