The mysterious appearance of a Blue shark on double-yellow lines beside a road in the Welsh seaside town of Aberystwyth has baffled locals and shark experts alike.
The dead 1.2m/4' long shark was found by bank worker Tom Huxley after he became aware of the overpowering odour of rotting fish whilst walking home with his partner after visiting a friend.
It's not known how the unfortunate shark came to be where it was, but a few hours after the bizarre sighting the expired elasmobranch had disappeared.
Blue sharks (Prionace glauca) are thought to be the most widely distributed shark species in the world, but while relatively common in British waters are more usually found further out at sea and until now never beside the road in Aberystwyth.
The shark or its owners are unlikely to face a fine for its impromptu parking as Aberystwyth has been without traffic wardens since May after police run wardens were phased out and Ceredigion council is yet to appoint officers to enforce its new civil parking powers. This gap in enforcement has led to parking anarchy in some areas of the town but it seems unlikely this is what triggered the shark's appearance.
Why not take out a subscription to Practical Fishkeeping magazine? See our latest subscription offer.