A MUM has shared an urgent warning for summer days at the beach after a friend’s near-death experience.
Danielle explained that between June and September there are aquatic animals called weever fish, which camouflage themselves in the sand and sea.
The fish hide themselves in the sand and on the shore and sting when they’re stood on[/caption]
Mum-of-three Danielle – aka the Enchanted Nanny – posted a video on TikTok warning others to always wear shoes on the beach[/caption]
They can even “survive for quite a long time” hiding on the beach, but if you step on it with bare feet you’ll end up being stung.
Danielle – aka The Enchanted Nanny – said that her best friend’s brother had found out the hard way about the potentially deadly fish when he stepped on one, and suffered a massive allergic reaction.
“He’s trodden on it in bare feet, and usually that would cause quite a hefty sting, where you would need to put the hottest water possible on the area to stop the venom from spreading and stinging,” she said in a video on her TikTok page.
“But he didn’t even get that far because he had a massive allergic reaction, which has landed him straight in the hospital.
“It’s been a really, really scary time and a shock to the system.”
She added that it’s vital to wear some kind of shoes when on the sand near the sea, so that if you did accidentally tread on a weever fish, you wouldn’t get stung.
“They definitely feature very heavily on our UK coastlines,” she continued.
“If you’re going to the beach, wear beach shoes, flip-flops, jelly shoes.
“Do not let your children wander around by the sea without shoes on.
“It’s just not worth the risk.”
“Spoiler alert – they sting even when no longer alive, the venom is still potent!” one person warned in the comments section.
“I got stung by one in Cornwall,” another recalled.
“It was so painful, the lifeguard hit me to put my foot in the hottest water I could stand.”
“I was (stung) – it’s terrible and was so painful please be careful!” a third wrote.
“Crazy that I have been on the beach barefoot every year for 28 years and I have never heard about or seen these until this year,” someone else said.
“It’s important to note it’s not just a little sting,” another warned.
How should you treat a weever fish sting?
ACCORDING to Moelfre Coastguard, if you experience an intense reaction such as trouble breathing or heart palpitations after a sting, you should call 999.
If your pain is less intense, the sting can be treated with hot water.
The higher temperature will destroy the poison as it is protein-based.
Use tweezers to remove the spines.
And painkillers can also be taken to ease discomfort.
“My whole leg ended up paralysed because we didn’t know what it was!
“Always buy jelly shoes for you and your children!”
