Greenland shark spotted stranded on Newlyn Harbour beach

A rare type of shark which has not been seen in British waters for nine years has been spotted on a Cornish beach.

The shark was found dead on the beach in Newlyn Harbour, near Penzance.

A spokesperson from Cornwall Wildlife Trust said it was likely to be of the Greenland species, and the last sighting of this kind in the UK was in 2013.

The fish was swept out to sea before it could be recovered and examined by experts.

Abby Crosby, from the trust, said she "couldn't believe her eyes" when she saw the fish.

Greenland sharks live in cold, deep waters and are also known as sleeper sharks due to their slow and "docile" movements, Ms Crosby said.

She added: "It's absolutely amazing that one has come into Cornwall. It shows us just how incredible our coast and seas are."

Prof Rosie Woodroffe, from the institute of zoology, shared a photo of the shark and identified it as a Greenland shark on Twitter.

If the public sees the shark, they are asked to contact Cornwall Wildlife Trust's hotline.

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