
Bathers have been warned to watch out for sharks as high temperatures are expected to send people heading for the beach this weekend.

The Met Office has predicted temperatures to reach 25C in the south of England on Saturday, encouraging many to soak up the summer sun along the coast.

But while the English will be enjoying pleasant temperatures and mostly sunny skies this weekend, up North the Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning in Scotland with 45mph winds forecast to hit the country.

The best haul of mackerel in 30 years in British waters has prompted shark attack warnings, as the fish is a staple diet of our native breeds (Pictured, a porbeagle shark)

Beach-lovers will be licking their lips at the prospect of tucking into some fish and chips by the seaside on Saturday, but they may have to be on their guard in case they end up on the menu themselves.

The best haul of mackerel in 30 years in British waters has prompted shark attack warnings, as the fish is a staple diet of our native shark breeds.

The huge volumes of mackerel are chasing small fry like whitebait and sand eels towards the shore to such an extent the minnow fish have been seen to hurl themselves on to beaches to escape.

Just last week a shore fisherman caught a 7ft long porbeagle shark, a relative of the great white, just metres away from a holiday beach in Pembrokeshire.

Porbeagles, like blue sharks, are usually found several miles out to sea rather than close inshore.

People are now being urged to be vigilant of large shoals of mackerel when they swim in the sea, as it is feared the sharks will follow the fish towards the south coast.

Pictured, the Pembrokeshire coast where recently a fisherman caught a 7ft porbeagle shark close to holidaymakers

It is not known why this summer has seen a glut of mackerel fish but there had been a slump in numbers in the spring and they could be all coming at once.

Graham Pullen, a veteran fisherman and presenter of the online programme the Totally Awesome Fishing Show, said: 'This huge influx of mackerel is sure to draw in the sharks - blue sharks, thresher sharks and the porbeagle shark all eat mackerel.

'If the mackerel are driving the bait-fish right onto the beaches, which they have been, then the big sharks could well be close behind them.

Pictured, the impressive porbeagle shark caught by the fisherman off the coast of Pembrokeshire last week

Pictured, a shoal of mackerel swim around the Dorset coast as an unusual influx of the fish swarms Britain this summer

'It might be wise for people to be aware of any big shoals of mackerel, as you never know what sort of predator might be hunting them.'

While people in England will enjoy dry and sunny conditions on Saturday, they better make the most of it as Sunday promises bleaker weather.

Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill said: 'Tomorrow, much of the UK will be dry and often sunny with warm and humid conditions.

Max Rogers, six, and Henley White, four, cool off as a log flume splashes them at Drayton Manor theme park Tamworth

Splash down: Holidaymakers enjoy the bright weather and kick off the weekend with a day of fun Drayton Manor theme park

Grey day: The sun is forecast to come out this weekend but as boats whizzed along the Thames, near Canary Wharf in London, this morning the weather was yet to brighten up

'Later on towards the north west of the country and Northern Ireland and Scotland it will turn unsettled with rain and strengthening winds.

'But, for the south it will be fine and we are expecting temperatures of 24 - 25C and a pretty decent day.

'The hottest day of the year was 33.5C on July 19 and we're several degrees off that, it's just going to be warmer than average.

Forecast: Southern England is expected to enjoy temperatures of 25 degrees on Saturday, drawing people out to the coast

Predictions: People in Scotland and Ireland will endure wet and windy conditions this weekend while those in the south will endure the best of the weather

'On Sunday it is looking windy in the north, we've actually put a yellow warning out for Scotland as we're expecting gusts of 45 mph, maybe a bit stronger.