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Just when you thought it was safe to enter the water - experts are now seeing more and more sharks in the sea off Cornwall.

Blue sharks have been thrust into the spotlight this year – especially following the sensational sighting of a blue shark close to the beach at St Ives.

The predator was filmed passing close to the shore in July – much to the surprise of visitors on the beach. The advice at the time was to give the shark room and not to attempt to approach it.

However sightings close to the shore like this are also exceptionally rare.

And the good news is that sharks in general are rarely a danger to humans and there has never been a single recorded unprovoked attack by a shark on a person in UK waters.

(Image: Harry Hocking)

Opinions differ on the reasons for the rise in shark numbers. It has been suggested that warmer than usual waters could be attracting the creatures.

Conversely, over-fishing in the Atlantic or even the abundance of dead fish discarded by trawlers in the English Channel could each contribute towards a rise in their numbers.

A group headed out from Falmouth just last weekend to catch up with the blue sharks and demonstrate that they are not dangerous.

The group of eight men and women spent over an hour swimming with four 5ft long blue sharks when they were 16 miles off the coast of Cornwall.

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The trip was organised by Mark Milburn, of dive company Atlantic Scuba in Penryn. He said they were able to attract the sharks by dropping chum into the sea.

Mr Milburn, 55, said: “It was a great trip and everyone enjoyed interacting with the sharks.

(Image: Atlantic Scuba)

“Although it is their feeding season and they are looking for food, we never felt in danger. They were more inquisitive than anything else.

(Image: Atlantic Scuba)

“I've seen blue sharks on two previous occasions but have never got pictures of them interacting with people in this way.

(Image: Aaron Barett/SWNS)

“Although they're not hugely common, most trips like this one organised specifically to find them, are successful and go off without a hitch.”

New shark Facebook page for Cornwall Interested in sharks? Cornwall Live reporter Charlotte Becquart has a Facebook group called Cornwall Shark Spotter. Please feel free to follow this link to join and keep up to date on all the latest news and sightings.

According to the conservation society the Shark Trust there are actually more than 40 different species of shark which pass through UK waters. Of these, 21 can be found year-round.

(Image: Aaron Barett/SWNS)

The other most common sharks found in UK waters are the giant filter-feeding basking sharks or the fierce-looking porbeagle, although they are rarely seen.

Cornwall has been named as the UK’s current shark capital with at least 20 species found off the coast, followed by the Scilly Isles and Devon.