Weever fish warning after people stung in resort

National Coastwatch Mablethorpe said five people had been stung in recent days

Beachgoers have been warned to take care after an increase in incidents involving weever fish on the Lincolnshire coast.

National Coastwatch Mablethorpe said five people had been stung in recent days.

Spokesperson Malcolm Drewery said: “If you stand on one, it’s very, very painful.”

The charity recommended wearing footwear in the water and on the beach to avoid any further incidents.

Weever fish are common in British waters, particularly in the summer months.

The venomous species usually hide in the sand, meaning they are hard to spot.

“They're not very easy to see because they bury themselves under the surface of the sand and in the shallow water normally as the tide is going out,” Mr Drewery said.

Weever fish are about seven inches (17.7cm) long and have spines on their dorsal fin that, if stood on, can result in a painful sting.

Mr Drewery said the pain was like a wasp or bee sting, but slightly worse.

“The best advice we can give is to wear some kind of footwear in the water - a pair of plimsolls or flip flops - to avoid getting stung,” he added.

Follow BBC Lincolnshire on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail]