Reports of a live shark spotted at the beach was the alarming call made to Skegness Coastguard recently.

However, this was not a Jaws-like danger to swimmers – but a harmless type of shark in need of rescuing itself.

The incident took place on Ingoldmells beach on September 2 after a member of the public spotted the 3ft creature on the sand.

"On arrival, the team identified it as a smooth-hound,” a spokesperson for Skegness Coastguard said. “A fishing hook was removed from its mouth before it was safely released back into the sea.”

A Skegness Coastguard member with the smooth-hound they returned to the water.

placeholder image — A Skegness Coastguard member with the smooth-hound they returned to the water.

Smooth-hounds are part of the shark family, and can grow up to around 159 cm (5ft 3ins) long and weigh more than 13kg (29lb). Unlike most sharks, they don’t have sharp, pointed teeth. Instead, they have crush their hard-shelled prey with flat, blunt grinding plates.

A challenging catch for sea anglers, the fish are edible - although most fishermen in the UK release them after being caught.