The shark was spotted off the coast of Cornwall (Picture: SWNS)

Sun-seekers were given a scare after a shark was filmed close to a popular swimming spot for children.

The shark was filmed by Tristan Campion in the shallow waters off Smeaton’s Pier in St Ives, Cornwall on Saturday afternoon.

Its shape and fins can be seen clearly at the spot where youngsters regularly jump into the water at high tides.

Colin Walker, maritime assistant at St Ives Harbour confirmed it was a porbeagle shark – which is related to the Great White but is not harmful to humans.


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It is a cousin of the Great White but doesn’t pose a threat to humans (PIcture: SWNS)

He said: ‘We hardly ever see them here, let alone so close in but there were also a number of dolphins in the water on the same day.



‘It was an amazing sight but there was no-one in the water at the time because the tide was out.’

A porbeagle is a ‘large, streamlined mackerel shark’ with a ‘powerful body’, the Shark Trust said.

They are usually less than 10ft (about 3m) long and are renowned for their inquisitiveness.