Beware of jellyfish - here's what to do if you are stung by one in South Tyneside

The sea creatures have been spotted in recent days with both smaller versions and this one measuring almost 1ft-long seen on the sands of South Shields.

But experts urged sunseekers to look but don’t touch or you could be stung.

Jellyfish were also sighted this time last year and prompted this advice in 2019 for anyone who was stung.

South Tyneside people are also being urged to play their part in a national study on jellyfish types and numbers in the UK.

The Marine Conservation Society is calling on beachgoers to report jellyfish sightings on the charity’s website as part of its national Jellyfish Survey.

The Society has launched an online Jellyfish ID Quiz to understand how easy it is for people to identify UK jellyfish with a view to improving the survey.

The Jellyfish Survey started in 2003 with the intention of understanding more about the distribution of jellyfish in the UK’s waters.

Dr Peter Richardson, Head of Ocean Recovery at MCS said: “We’ve been running our National Jellyfish Survey citizen science programme for more than 17 years and, thanks to the participation of thousands of jellyfish spotters sending us their records, we are now starting to understand more about our UK jellyfish species.

“As we start to enjoy the UK’s beautiful beaches again this year, we want as many beachgoers as possible to get involved and send us their jellyfish records. Remember, you can look, but please don’t touch the jellyfish…some have a painful sting!”

To take the Jellyfish ID quiz, visit here.

Advice for those who are stung includes;

Rinse the affected area with seawater (not fresh water).

Remove any spines from the skin using tweezers or the edge of a bank card.

Soak the area in very warm water for at least 30 minutes. Use hot flannels or towels if you cannot soak it.

Take painkillers like paracetamol or ibuprofen.

Do not use vinegar, apply ice or a cold pack, cover the wound or touch any of the spines.

Do NOT urinate on the sting.

To find out more about the Marine Conservation Society visit heir Facebook page or https://www.mcsuk.org

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