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Divers in Cornwall are stunned by the numbers of giant jellyfish which have flocked to the coast over the past few weeks after the sunny weather brought them to the English waters.

Wildlife cruise operators and divers have reported a record number of sightings of barrel jellyfish.

The huge sea creatures can measure up to four feet from tip to tail and have been spotted on the southern and western shores of the UK before - but never ones of this size.

Diver Mark Milburn said he'd never seen so many of the dustbin-shaped animals in British waters.

He said: "Over the last few weeks, divers and boats in the Falmouth area have been encountering more and more barrel jellyfish.

"Feeding mainly on plankton, they are thought to spend most of the time at depth, coming up when the plankton blooms.

"With the increase in water visibility, as the plankton starts to die back, they are getting easier to spot."

He noted that the scary-looking creatures pose no threat to divers or swimmers.

He said: "Despite its large size, the barrel jellyfish's sting isn't strong enough to be harmful to humans."