'I heard someone say shark and thought it's a hoax'

Members of the public tried to help a 1.5m (5ft) shark get into deeper waters amid fears it could have become stranded on the shoreline.

A Coastguard crew was called out to "ensure public safety" after being alerted by witnesses who spotted the shark near Aberystwyth Pier, Ceredigion, on Friday afternoon as people were cooling off in the water during the hot spell.

The British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR), which also sent members to the scene, said it was believed to be a porbeagle, which are regular visitors to the UK coast and can grow up to 11ft (3.5m) long.

"It is advised that members of the public don't attempt to handle a shark if it strands to avoid injury," it said, in a statement.

"Porbeagles are not naturally aggressive towards humans, though there are reports of people being bitten when trying to help them back to sea."

Sophie Griffiths, 35, from Aberystwyth, said her nine-year-old son had been swimming in the sea not long after school had finished when they were alerted, along with a group of paddleboarders.

"I heard someone say 'shark' and thought it was just a hoax," she said.

"Everyone had a bit of a shock.

"It's a first for me seeing the shark. I'm 35, born and raised in Aberystwyth."

Max Walker, who saw the shark from nearby Aberystwyth pier, said "no-one was allowed in the sea for a bit" due to the sighting.

"It was kind of swimming back and forth along the length of the beach - it looked a bit disorientated to be honest."

BDMLR, which estimated the shark to be 1.5m in length, said its dorsal fin was flushed red in colour, an "indication it was distressed and not oxygenating itself properly".

"It continued to swim close to shore for several hours, attracting a large group of people."

Charity The Wildlife Trusts said the porbeagle is a member of the Lamnidae shark family, making it one of the closest living relatives of the great white shark.

A porbeagle can weigh up to 230kg and can be "mistaken for the great white shark" with its blue colouring, white belly and white mark at the rear base of its dorsal fin.

The charity said it was usually found in deep water, where it hunts a variety of smaller fish including mackerel, whiting and herring, as well as octopus, squid and cuttlefish.

BDMLR said partners from conservation charity The Shark Trust "arrived to lead advice on the incident should the shark strand, though it eventually swam into deeper water".

Milford Haven Coastguard received a number of calls from concerned members of the public about the shark and a local team was sent to ensure public safety, a spokesman told BBC News.