Shark filmed near harbour beach

A shark has caused a stir at Fishguard, Pembrokeshire, after swimming unusually close to shore.

Onlookers estimate the porbeagle shark spotted cruising just off Goodwick Beach was about 2.5m (8ft) long.

Marine experts say while the shark is endangered it is a regular visitor to local waters although not usually so close to the shore.

Cliff Benson of the Sea Trust, who photographed it said: "To be that close to a wild free shark was amazing."

"On occasions it almost beached itself and I got the impression it was not well.

"Close up there were fresh abrasions around its snout and also around its tailstock .

"This made me suspect it might have been beaten up by the bottlenose dolphins which I had been filming earlier feeding on mackerel at the harbour mouth.

"The bottles may have objected to the shark trying to share the fish and reacted violently.

"After about an hour it began making its way slowly out to deeper water and then presumably back to sea."

Mr Benson added although Porbeagles were described as potentially dangerous there were no records of the species attacking anyone in British waters.

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