Divers and beachgoers in the United Kingdom need to be aware that there are potentially dangerous jellyfish-like creatures in the sea. Four Portuguese Man o’ War, very rare in the UK, have been seen along the south west coast of England.

Portuguese Man o’ War is not a jellyfish, it is a floating colony of hydrozoans. The Portuguese Man O’ War (Physalia physalis), is commonly thought of as a jellyfish but is actually a siphonophore—a colony of specialized polyps and medusoids.

The Portuguese Man O’ War is found in warm water in all of the world’s seas. It lives at the surface of the ocean, with its blue float above the water, serving as a sail, and the rest of the organism hanging below the surface. It has no means of propulsion, but is moved by a combination of winds, currents, and tides. Very rarely is a single Portuguese Man O’ War seen, but rather the discovery of one is usually a warning of more to come. Extreme “swarms” of this nature can cause the closure of beaches, due to the danger of painful stings posed to surfers and swimmers. (Wikipedis)

Touching the tentacles will result in painful stings that leave lesions and ulcerations. The poisonous sting has been known to trigger fatal anaphylactic shocks. The public are asked to report any sightings and not to touch the creatures.