Brit says 'alien' jellyfish that keep washing up on UK beaches are why he's 'scared of the sea'

Multiple giant “alien” jellyfish have been found washed up on a British beach, causing concern among the country's barefoot beachgoers.

Joel Gabirel, an engineer and amateur photographer, shared pictures of the creatures after he stumbled across them while on holiday in Llandudno, Wales. The 31-year-old was out for an early morning walk along the coast when the tide was out, when he spotted what he calls “danger pancakes” blending into the sand.

“Jellyfish are already dead by the time you find one. They're 95% water and dehydrate within minutes of washing ashore. They're basically a digestive system with some tentacles. They don't have a brain. But they can still sting. Seeing the jellyfish and their sizes really surprised me," he said. The arrival of the jellyfish comes as locals in Spain grapple with a giant rat invasion of their beach.

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Joel said he didn’t even spot the larger ones at first because he thought they were rocks. The beachgoer seems to have stumbled across several different types of jellyfish. The species with straight lines running from its peak down to its edge appears to be a compass jellyfish.

"With brown markings reminiscent of a compass, this jellyfish is really quite distinctive. A summer visitor to our shores, the compass jellyfish feeds on small fish, crabs and even other jellyfish. They give a nasty sting, so if you spot them during a visit to the beach – look, but don’t touch! Once they have stung something, jellyfish often leave the tentacle behind and can continue to sting using it even when not connected to their body," the Wildlife Trust explains.

The purple jellyfish, on the other hand, seem to be either blue jellyfish or mauve stingers.

"This beautiful jellyfish is often seen around the UK coastline in summer and autumn. They are attracted inshore by blooms of plankton that provide a plentiful supply of food. The blue jellyfish can drift along, easily capturing prey with its dense array of stinging tentacles," the Wildlife Trust continues.

If it turns out to be a mauve stinger, then paddlers may be wise to watch out a little more carefully.

"The mauve stinger is a small jellyfish, but it certainly packs a powerful punch, with long tentacles and warty structures on its ‘bell’ full of stinging cells. Small crustaceans known as amphipods hang out inside the ring of tentacles and are able to survive unharmed. The mauve stinger likes to feed on other small jellyfish and oceanic sea squirts, also known as ascidians," the Wildlife Trust adds.

The third, translucent species may well be a moon jellyfish. These are typically found throughout the world's oceans and are around the size of a plate. They are recognisable by the four circles visible through the translucent white bell.

After sharing pictures of his find online, Joel sparked a flurry of amazed commentary. One user joked: “Free hats.”

Another added: “Jellyfish are so unsettling, as are mushrooms. I'm convinced they both must have arrived on a meteor or something.” One person said: “In my experience, Wales is crazy for jellyfish.”

Another commenter wrote: “Christ, I didn’t realise we had jellyfish in the UK and that they can be so big and stingy! Adding this to the list of reasons I’m scared of the sea.”