Tourists issued urgent warning after giant 5-foot jellyfish washes up on holiday hotspot beach

Holidaymakers and locals got the shock of their lives when they visited a peaceful, sandy beach known for its picturesque views and were greeted with the sight of a giant, redjellyfish at the water’s edge over the weekend.

According to officials in the City of South Portland, Maine, USA, the massive creature was almost five feet wide, so was pretty hard to miss. They issued a warning via social media advising beachgoers not to touch the alarming-lookingLion’s Mane jellyfishbecause they can give a nasty sting. However, they did recommend watching the "interesting" animal and informing lifeguards at Willard Beach if anyone sees any more so they can help them back into the water.

"Spotted this weekend at Willard Beach: A nearly 5-foot wide lion's mane jellyfish!" they wrote on their official Facebook page along with an image of the immense sea creature in the shallow water.

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"If you see one, here’s what to do: Don’t touch it! They sting. Observe it. They're so interesting to watch, and pretty too. If you see one washed up at Willard Beach, notify a lifeguard and they will help it back into the water with a shovel." The post also contained a link to report any sightings and to learn more about the particular species.

There have been more sightings than ever in Maine this year according to Nicholas Record, a senior research scientist at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences in East Boothbay, Maine. He has been tracking jellyfish in the area since 2014 and runs a jellyfish reporter website that beachgoers can submit sightings and pictures on.

He told weather.com that this year there has been an unusually high number of Lions Mane jellyfish spotted. "Some of the things that are different this year is it’s pretty much all Lion's Mane," he said. "Not only are there more of them, but many are noticeably larger than usual.

"In a typical year, the biggest ones that people would report are typically the size of a dinner plate, and this year, I’ve gotten several reports of some that are 2 feet and a couple that are 5 feet across," he added. "They’re generally a sub-Arctic species and they’re not new to the Gulf of Maine by any means. But the size and just the fact that they’re all we’re seeing this year is what makes it unique."

The Lion’s Mane is the largest jellyfish in the ocean and can grow to a whopping three metres or almost 10 feet in width. It gets its name thanks to the long, flowing tentacles that flow from its bell, which can reach to an incredible length of 100 feet and "have all the beauty and bite of a lion," according to Wildlifetrusts.org. The numerous tentacles are rammed full of stinging cells which it uses to catch its favourite prey of fish and smaller jellyfish.

The tentacles can still sting even if they are no longer connected to the jellyfish. If they come into contact with people, the stings can be severe and cause swelling or weals so it's advisable to contact a doctor if this happens. Stings are rarely fatal to humans but the venom can affect the respiratory and heart function.

They are found off all UK coasts during the summer months as well as the cold waters of the Arctic, northern Atlantic, and northern Pacific Oceans.