A snorkeler has suffered a suspected shark attack in what they described as a "very scary incident" off the coast of England.
The swimmer suffered a bite to the leg and needed help from the coastguard and ambulance crews following the encounter near Penzance, Cornwall, on Thursday.
Blue sharks visit Ireland and the UK during the summer months from the Caribbean.
The victim was reportedly bitten by a blue shark while on a snorkelling trip.
Blue Shark Snorkel Trips, the company that organised the tour, said such incidents were "extremely rare" and they were "in continued talks with shark experts" as to what happened.
"As we know, these things can happen when we choose to interact with wild animals in their own environment," the company said in a statement on its Facebook page.
"The last thing we want is to let speculation drive the media into a world of bad press for the sharks, under no fault of their own.
"We immediately enacted our emergency response plan, with first aid being carried out on the person involved.
"Following advice and assessment from the coastguard, the person walked off the boat and received further treatment ashore."
The firm also shared a statement from the victim, who said: "Despite how the trip ended, it was amazing to see such majestic creatures in the wild and I don't for a second want this freak event to tarnish the reputation of an already persecuted species."
Blue sharks are known to mainly feed on small fish and squid, but have been known to attack seabirds and other small sharks, according to the Wildlife Trusts.
