Giant jellyfish are washing up on Weymouth beach as they drift close to shore.

Local resident Donna Pace said: "I was taking a stroll along Weymouth beach this morning and saw these jellyfish in the sea. One of them is huge.

"Tourists and people in the community need to be careful this week if going swimming. The jellyfish are very close to the shore."

Ms Pace said she had seen multiple jellyfish washed up on the beach this morning (Tuesday, May 21) and that they were randomly dotted along the shore.

The Dorset Wildlife Trust confirmed that these are barrel jellyfish, the largest jellyfish found in UK seas. According to DWT, most people's first encounter with them is when they wash ashore in early summer but there is no need to be afraid, as their sting is harmless to humans.

Sally Welbourn, DWT Communications Officer, said: “As the water warms up, barrel jellyfish are coming closer to the shoreline in search of food, which is why sadly some are being washed up on the beach.

They are the most common jellyfish to be seen in Dorset and can grow up to a metre wide and two metres long.

"We would advise the public not to touch them, as even when dead, they can still give a small sting.

"It also means that we should be on the look-out for other marine wildlife, such as leatherback turtles, which feed on jellyfish.”

People can report their sightings of these jellyfish to Dorset Wildlife Trust at @DWTMarine on Twitter.