Published: May 24, 2011
Jellyfish washed up along beaches in Burnham area 'are harmless'

Beach users in Burnham-On-Sea and Brean have been reassured that a number of large jellyfish washed up along local beaches this week are harmless.

Over 20 of the jellyfish - some measuring up to 40cm long - have washed up along the shoreline this week, as pictured.

Burnham-On-Sea.com sent these photos to the Marine Conservation Society, which has identified them as Barrel Jellyfish, also known as Rhizostoma Octopus.

"They are quite harmless and beach users have nothing to fear from them," the Society's Peter Richardson told Burnham-On-Sea.com.

"We've had several reports of them being seen along the south wales coastline in recent weeks, but these are the first on the English side of the Bristol Channel."

"They can grow as large as 40kg in weight and measure one metre wide in some years."

It's thought that rough sea conditions whipped up by heavy winds at the weekend are the reason for the jellyfish being washed ashore.