Rare jellyfish

(Photo by David Luquet)
A rare type of jellyfish has been photographed for the first time off the South West coast. Called Apolemia uvaria, the orange-pink creatures are also known as "pearl strings" have been seen off Plymouth and the Cornish coast. But people have been warned not to touch them as they have a nasty sting. Rory Goodall, a wildlife trip operator in Penzance said: "I have seen thousands of them attracted to our waters because of plankton." The jellyfish can be seen in colonies of tiny hydroids which can form strings up to 100ft (30.48m) long. The creatures' sting, although not life-threatening to humans, is enough to kill a large fish.