Scots beachgoers warned over venomous fish with 'very painful' sting hiding in sand
dailyrecord.co.ukA warning has been issued to Scots heading to the coast this summer after reports of multiple cases of beachgoers being stung by venomous fish.With people across the country looking to head to the nearest beach and make the most of the summer, guidance has been issued by both the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and the Fife Coast & Countryside Trust regarding weever fish.These small fish are relatively common on UK beaches, where they spend much of their time lurking underneath the sand.
Unsuspecting people who then come into contact with their needle-sharp spines are injected with venom.Brett Shepherd, Operations Manager at the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), said: "I have treated toddlers who are quite content with their foot in a bowl of warm water but have also seen adults in tears.
I have also had to treat an unfortunate gent who had actually sat on one."While the stings are not life threatening, they may require medical attention and people have been urged to wear footwear such as water shoes or trainers on the beach to protect themselves.It comes as recent reports of stings from the weever fish on beaches around Fife has led to the experts calling on people to report any stings.Taking to Facebook, Fife Coast & Countryside Trust warned: "With recent great beach weather and high temperatures it is firmly bathing season at the beach, this will bring more people in contact with the potential for a weever fish encounter.
We have had two encounters at Elie Harbour Beach recently."Please be vigilant and if possible wear water shoes or trainers at lower tides when paddling off sandy beaches."Weever fish are natural bottom dwelling fish found off local coasts sometimes buried at low tide in the surf zone.
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