A 9ft blue shark, the second largest ever caught off the coast of Britain, has been reeled in by an amateur fisherman, raising fears that the large predators are being lured closer to shallower waters.

The huge fish was captured 20 miles off the Welsh coast near Milford Haven in Pembrokeshire, by builder Danny Fitch.

The catch came as experts warned swimmers that the hot weather and the biggest haul of mackerel in UK waters in 30 years could attract sharks to shallower depths.

Mr Fitch, 49, spent 45 minutes reeling in the huge 9ft 2 ins blue shark and struggled to heave it on to the charter boat to weigh and photograph it before returning it safe and well into the sea.

"This was my first shark fishing trip and I had hoped to catch one of about 100lbs so to catch a fish of the size I did is pretty unbelievable,” she said

"It was really hard, tiring work. I got it into the boat four times, and four times it decided it wasn't coming in and shot off again.

"I was literally hanging out of the side of the boat trying to get it in.”