STING ALERT: Jellyfish spotted on coast in south of Spain

JELLYFISH have been seen on a Costa del Sol beach – with the early sightings believed to be due to the high winter temperatures and recent mild weather.

The impressive creatures have been snapped on the popular Torreblanca beach in Fuengirola.

While many jellyfish are unlikely to sting or cause irritation caution is still advised if you encounter one.

Some species of jellyfish can be extremely dangerous, the best known probably being the Portugese man o’war .

The man o’war is not a true jellyfish but a colony made up of small individual animals called polyps that are unable to survive alone.

Unable to move independently, the creature floats on the surface and is propelled by a balloon-like ‘sail.’

During the summer beaches should display bathing warning signs if jellyfish are inshore.

Last year saw a surge in the number of jellyfish washing up on Spanish beaches.

Beachgoers were warned to stay away from the potentially lethal Portugese man o’war after several were spotted on beaches in Malaga City and the holiday hotspot Marbella.

Hundreds of the venomous blue and purple creatures also washed up in Cadiz and Huelva provinces after being blown in by strong westerly winds from the mid-Atlantic Ocean.

An official from the Aula del Mar marine museum in Malaga said at the time: “We urge people not to touch the animals as they can still sting when stranded or dead, and the stings can be extremely severe.

“The tentacles can become detached and these are also still capable of stinging.

“Animals and children are particularly at risk.”