A DEADLY hammerhead shark has been spotted on the edge of UK waters for the first time.
The predator was spotted in the Celtic Sea about 100 miles South West of Ireland.
Two marine scientists were able to identify the carnivore as it has a distinctive hammer-shaped head.
John Power, a marine mammal observer who spotted the hammerhead, said: “While scanning the ocean surface, we sighted a dorsal fin unlike anything we had encountered before. It was quite different to the fins seen on basking sharks and blue sharks.
“After consulting available ID keys, we agreed that the shark must be a smooth hammerhead.”
The sharks can grow up to 20-feet in length and are typically found in warm, tropical waters along coastlines such as the Caribbean and West Africa.
In the summer months, they migrate in groups to cooler waters.
The predators usually swim in schools during the day, but hunt alone at night.
Experts say the lone hammerhead could be lost, but probably swam this far north because of the oceans getting warmer.
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The hammerhead spotting comes after a marine expert predicted other shark species such as the Great White could also head towards our waters.
Dr Simon Boxall, of the Southampton Oceanography Institute, said there is no reason why hammerhead sharks could not exist in UK waters.
He said: “I am not aware of them (hammerheads) being seen in our waters before but this sighting does not surprise me.
“Temperatures in these waters have increased by 2.5C over the last 20 years and more exotic species carried by the Gulf Stream are travelling further north for food.
“But this also means that native fish species such as cod are also being pushed further north as they lose colder waters.
“It could be a very lost hammerhead shark but more likely it is because our oceans are getting warmer.
“There is no reason why more shark species like hammerheads and Great Whites can’t exist in our waters.
It could be a very lost hammerhead shark but more likely it is because our oceans are getting warmer.
Dr Simon Boxall, of the Southampton Oceanography Institute,
“I am sure these species are more common than people realise, it’s just that they haven’t been seen.
“But it doesn’t mean we are going to get a mass invasion of hammerhead sharks.
“They are not particularly interested in humans and attacks on humans are rare. But they are more dangerous than a porbeagle shark which are native to UK waters.”
Last week, a seven-foot shark was spotted just yards away from a Dorset Beach.
The angler who filmed the moment said it could have been a porbeagle shark.
Porbeagles are one of the most common types of shark to be spotted by British fisherman.
The powerful creature – a relative of the Great White – with a distinctive dorsal fin measures up to six feet and can be found all around the British Isles in the warm summer months.
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Scientists from the Marine Institute spotted the hammerhead was spotted during a survey of herring stocks in an area of the Celtic Sea.
Dr Paul Connolly, director of fisheries and ecosystems services at the Marine Institute said: “This is an exciting encounter, especially since a rare deep-water shark nursery, 200 miles west of Ireland, was discovered by Irish scientists last year.
“This sighting of a new shark species, shows the importance of our fishery surveys to monitor our marine environment, and to observe changes in our oceans and marine ecosystems.”
What is a hammerhead shark?
Hammerhead sharks have their name because of the distinctive hammer-shape of their heads
They are found in warmer waters along coastlines and continental shelves.
The sharks usually swim in schools, but hunt alone at night.
Female hammerhead sharks give birth to live yonug, making them different from egg-laying shark species.
They eat fish, other sharks, squid, octopus, stingrays and crustaceans.
No human fatalities have ever been recorded after a hammerhead attack.
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