Enormous 15ft sea creature washes up on UK coast, stunning beachgoers

Remains of an enormous creature that washed up on UK beach Friday (Jan 5), were spotted by a man out on his morning run. It was the carcass of a giant basking shark, found on the sandbanks close to Fort Perch Rock, at the mouth of Liverpool Bay. The 15-foot-long creature is generally seen in summer months and the coastal areas of southwest England, Wales, the Isle of Man and west Scotland.

New Brighton local Stephen Davies, 72, was the first person who spotted the giant creature’s body resting on the sand. "I was running on the beach and thought 'what's that?' because it looked quite big. I was talking to a fisherman who said it was a basking shark, which I don't think are fairly common around here, but it could have been washed in by the tide. I have never come across anything like it before," the man was quoted as saying by local media.

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The basking shark is the second largest fish found in UK waters. According to the Wildlife Trust, the remains found on Friday are thought to be of a youngster despite the big size. “Fully grown basking sharks can measure from forty feet to twelve metres in length, and can weigh as much as six tonnes,” the Trust added.

The Trust was quoted as saying by the Liverpool Echo: "The basking shark may be huge but we still know very little about this elusive giant. Satellite tracking has shown that they can migrate long distances in the winter, with some showing up off the Azores and even Newfoundland.”

The UK Coastguard later informed the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) about the presence of the carcass on the shores. Chris Cureton, North-West co-ordinator for BDMLR, reported to the site and was stunned at the rare sight.

“The dead giveaway was its second dorsal fin, the head is pretty decomposed but there is no sign of a recognisable toothed shark jaw. The tale of the animal is full of bones whereas if it was a whale it would have been flesh,” Cureton said.

(With inputs from agencies)