Jellyfish invasion

THOUSANDS OF MARINE CREATURES WASHED UP ON BEACHES BY STORM

- By ANDREW FORGRAVE Countryside and Tourism Editor

IN the aftermath of Storm Claudia, the scale of her fury was revealed on beaches in west Wales coast.

The storm flooded roads, battered marinas and left towns underwater - but it was marine life that paid the heaviest price.

Right along the coastline, people venturing out after the storm came across swarms of jellyfish washed up on the shoreline. Photographer Chris Reacord wrote of seeing "literally thousands" on Tywyn beach, Gwynedd, and similar sightings were made elsewhere.

It's not uncommon for jellyfish and other marine animals to strand during autumn storms. But the number seen in the wake of Storm Claudia caught regular sea watchers by surprise.

Many were barrel jellyfish, the largest and most common jellyfish in UK waters.

More large jellyfish graveyards were seen in places like Borth-y-Gest, Talybont, Barmouth and, Fairbourne.

Further south, more mass strandings were reported in Ynyslas and Aberdyfi, where one person said she had "never seen this many on the beach before".