Beachgoers are being warned about jellyfish in the North Sea after a mum suffered the "worst pain of her life" when she was stung.
Kerry and her daughter Rose, from Edinburgh, were paddling at Cramond Beach when they were left in "agony" following the sting on Saturday, June 24. Kerry said her daughter was lucky she was wearing a full wetsuit and wasn't affected as much and she is now warning other parents of the dangers of swimming in the sea at local beaches.
"We just got back me and my daughter from Cramond beach. There were no signs warning us of jellyfish in the sea and we have been in agony for over an hour with really painful jellyfish stings," said Kerry.
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"I think there should more visible signs - there were ladies with bikinis swimming like us and infants. Luckily, my daughter had a wet suit on. People should know how much agony it is. It was the worst pain I've experienced in my life. On the way back we saw a dead one. It could have been a Lion's Mane as it was quite brown."
She told EdinburghLive: "I would never believe how painful it was if I had never experienced it. Full wetsuits and water shoes should be required."
A warning has been shared by the South Queensferry Coastguard on behalf of the Fife Coast and Countryside who say they have received reports of Lion's Mane jellyfish having been washed up on local beaches. They said: "We have had reports of Lion's Mane Jellyfish washed up on local beaches.
"Please be aware that the tentacles of this particular species keeps its sting for a long time after the jellyfish has died. You should never touch them and always keep children and pets away from them."
Jellyfish and poisonous algae could become more dangerous to beachgoers as sea temperatures climb, scientists have warned. Some of the most intense marine heat increases on Earth have developed in seas around the UK and Ireland, the European Space Agency (Esa) has warned, which could lead to more risks for bathers.
Temperatures of 18C recorded in the North Sea are up to 6C warmer than is usual for this time of year, reports The Mirror. The sea is particularly warm off the UK's east coast from Durham to Aberdeen, and off north-west Ireland with temperatures 3C to 4C above the average.
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