WEIRD and wonderful jellyfish of all shapes and sizes have been spotted by Daily Echo readers across Dorset.

People have been sharing their pictures of the marine animals in different locations over the past few days.

Chris Odgers took this picture of a tentacled visitor on the beach at Studland last weekend.

He told the Daily Echo he had seen around seven or eight jellyfish on the stretch of beach during a visit.

It comes after Echo Camera Club member Kelly Townsend took a picture of a

huge jellyfish found washed-up at Baiter Park

.

While Joey Edney captured footage of a jellyfish gliding through the water at Poole Quay.

Each year, jellyfish are discovered off the Dorset coast and also washed-up on the beaches.

The most commonly seen is the barrel jellyfish which can grow up to a metre wide and two metres long.

As reported in Monday’s Echo, wildlife photographer and author Steve Trewhella, who is based in Wareham, said he thought the unseasonable weather in April may have something to do with the jellyfish returning earlier than usual.

Dorset Wildlife Trust has said previously that the presence of the barrel jellyfish in our waters means we could see some leatherback turtles, which feed on jellyfish.