Fife family find huge Lion’s Mane jellyfish washed up on beach

A Fife family were shocked to find a huge Lion’s Mane jellyfish washed up on the beach in Kirkcaldy.

Kirsty Haston spotted the creature while walking along Seafield Beach with her husband Lee and sons Zac,11, and seven-year-old Charlie.

Lion’s Mane jellyfish can grow up to 3m long tentacles and are known for their powerful sting, which in rare cases can be fatal.

Beach-goers are warned to steer clear of the creatures,  who will “sting long after they’ve been on the shore”.

Kirsty told The Courier: “We’d taken, Lacey, our dog, for a walk on Seafield beach during low tide when the boys came across the huge jellyfish.

“The boys had already found several other smaller jellyfish as there seemed to be a lot that had been washed up.

“Then, Charlie, shouted us over as he’s found this huge Lion’s Mane.

“We couldn’t quite believe the size of it.

“It was huge and easily two to three feet wide.

“We visit Seafield Beach a lot to walk Lacey and see jellyfish from time to time but never anything this big.”

Public warned against touching jellyfish

Fife Coast and Countryside Trust, which manages Fife’s beaches, said it had received several reports of large numbers of jellyfish being washed up at Kirkcaldy.

A Trust spokesperson said: “Lion’s mane jellyfish give a very nasty sting, so consult a doctor if swelling or weals are severe.

“In the meantime, scrape the area with a clean stick or remove the tentacle with tweezers if you have them to hand, then rinse the area with warm to hot water to reduce swelling.

“Please note they can still sting once they have been washed up on the beach.”

In March, a man discovered what is thought to be a rare lump of ambergris – a wax-like substance derived from whale vomit that could be worth a five-figure sum – whilst walking on Kirkcaldy beach.