A HUGE shark has been spotted off one of Suffolk's busiest holiday beaches.

Richard Cornwell

WILDLIFE watchers are expected to flock to Felixstowe this weekend - after reports of a huge shark spotted feeding off the resort's coast.

It is believed to be one of the rarest visitors to North Sea waters and one of the gentle giants of the ocean - posing no threat to humans except for its size with some as big as a double-decker bus.

The basking shark was spotted by Colin Ruffles, of Rosebery Road, Felixstowe, while birdwatching on the cliffs at Brackenbury.

“I could see its triangular dorsal fin sticking out of the water and occasionally its tail fin as it glided round,” said Mr Ruffles.

“It was some distance from me so it was impossible to tell how big it was but I knew it would be basking shark because there are not many other things it could be in our waters.”

Expert Jean-Luc Soldant, from the Marine Conservation Society, said over the past 22 years there had been 25,000 sightings of basking sharks around the UK, but only a handful down the east coast.

“They usually prefer the clearer waters of the west coast and where there are plankton blooms for them to feed on rather than the more turbulent and muddier waters of the east coast,” he said.

“These fish can migrate thousands of miles a year and in truth may be much more regular visitors to areas like the North Sea than perhaps we realise.”

People using beach huts at The Dip, Cliff Road, Old Felixstowe, where the shark was spotted on Wednesday afternoon, said seals were far more regular visitors.

“I was swimming in the sea on Wednesday afternoon - I'll have to keep my husband Alan looking out for sharks now!” said Barbara Grace, at their hut Idle Hours.

Stephen Skinner, who runs the ice cream kiosk, said: “A man had a text message about a shark and came with binoculars to have a look but I didn't see the creature.”

Have you seen the shark or taken any photos of it? Let us know by posting a comment below or e-mailing mark.heath@archant.co.uk.