JELLYFISH are once again being spotted on our shores - and the hot weather has brought some more unusual visitors.

Duncan Crook sent us this picture in of a jellyfish on Weymouth beach, which appears to have stirred much interest among the seagulls, whose footprints can be seen around it.

Dorset Wildlife Trust has identified the creature as a barrel jellyfish, a common summertime visitor, which can grow to be up to one metre wide and weigh as much as 25kg.

Sally Welbourn, from DWT, said people have been reporting a lot of sightings over the past several years.

In 2014 and 2015 people reported seeing 'swarms' of the creatures, with some up to the size of dustbin lids. And they don't come alone - in 2015 a fisherman reported a rare sighting of a leatherback turtle off the west Dorset coast. Experts said he was attracted by the jellyfish, which turtles feed upon.

Last year, strong winds from the Gulf Stream even brought an influx of the deadly Portuguese man o war.

And this year's particularly warm weather has led to several sightings of Moon jellyfish in Poole Harbour.

Sally said these are a common species in Dorset, but rarely seen because they tend to feed in deeper parts of the sea. But plankton rises in the warm weather and Moon jellyfish follow and can be spotted closer to shore.

She added: “Conditions are just right for jellyfish feeding at the moment: longer sunny days and warmer sea temperatures mean all the nutrients in plankton are rising so jellyfish are feeding on the surface and often closer to the shore, which is why we get more sightings this time of year. We recommend that if you see a jellyfish, alive or dead, not to touch it. Please report your sightings to us at kimmeridge@dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk or tweet us a picture @dorsetwildlife.”