Not safe to go into the water! Benidorm beachgoers flee after 8ft blue SHARK is spotted in the shallows

 Holidaymakers relaxing on a beach in Benidorm were forced to flee after an eight-foot long blue shark was spotted in the shallow waters.

Horrified swimmers rushed to the shore after the huge shark appeared in the sea by Poniente Beach, just yards away from them. 

Video footage shows terrified beachgoers watching on as the blue shark swam in the shallow waters, with its fin clearly visible. 

The creature was then seen thrashing wildly from side to side and its body was almost entirely out of the water as it touched the sand. 

Police officers who were called to the scene on Thursday can be heard telling the beachgoers to stand back, before the shark eventually swam back into the shallow waters. British tourist Christine Kettley, 36, who was sunbathing with her family when she spotted the shark, told The Sun: 'This shark was massive, it was about 8ft long and jerking around in the water.'

The mother-of-three added: 'You wouldn't want to go anywhere near it or make it angry as it was large enough to cause someone serious injury. 

'It was just swimming around where everyone had been paddling. 

'Police and lifeguards rushed to the beach and immediately started getting people out of the water.'

Local police officers sent a helicopter and two police boats, and officers could be seen watching the shark from the vessels. Others had formed a line on the beach to block holidaymakers from getting close to the shark. 

+7

+7

Horrified swimmers rushed to the shore after the huge shark appeared in the sea by Poniete Beach, just yards away from them

+7

+7

Local police officers sent a helicopter and two police boats, and officers could be seen watching the shark from the vessels. Others had formed a line on the beach to block holidaymakers from getting close to the shark

What is a blue shark?

Blue sharks are considered to be dangerous and have been known to be responsible for attacks on ship and air disaster victims.

Blue sharks can grow to 13ft and 400lbs and are found in oceans across the world, especially the Atlantic but they do venture into British waters during the summer months and are usually spotted around the South West.

It is an open-ocean species and reaches up to 3.8m in length.

The shark, which has a metallic blue back, is listed as Near Threatened globally and is a Priority Species in the UK.

They feed mostly on squid and small fish but can also eat smaller sharks and seabirds.

Blue shark attacks on humans are extremely rare but have been recorded.  

Blue sharks have been thought to have been involved in just 13 biting incidents with only four of those being fatal since 1580.    

The largest blue shark ever recorded in Britain's waters weighed 256lbs and measured over 9ft. 

Source: The Wildlife Trusts 

Christine, who is from Great Dunmow in Essex, UK, added: 'It's been going up and down the coast all day and has come in really close to the beach.'

Blue sharks can grow to 13ft and 400lbs and are found in oceans across the world, especially the Atlantic but they do venture into British waters during the summer months.

Blue sharks, which rarely attack humans, are registered as near threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Last month, a British postman came face-to-face with a huge blue shark while snorkelling off the coast of Cornwall.   

Martin Yelland, 38, was diving just off the coast of Penzance when the blue shark swam straight towards him.

It stuck around for about an hour, before being scared off by a pod of 80 dolphins. Mr Yelland, who lives in St Erth, Cornwall, takes wildlife photographs in his spare time. He said: 'It was a really memorable encounter.

'I was apprehensive the evening before the shark snorkel, but once I saw the shark I was just amped to get in the water as they were so graceful and inquisitive.

'At no stage did I feel frightened, the sharks were curious but in no way aggressive.'

He added: 'The blue sharks come so close you sometimes need to get out of their way, as we were told never to touch them.'

Widespread fishing poses a risk to the population of blue sharks although the sharks' wide range buffers it from the effect of heavy fishing pressure. Despite this, population declines have been noted. 

Its flesh is not highly valued but its fins are, meaning many Blue Sharks are finned at sea and subsequently discarded.

+7

Martin Yelland, 38, was diving just off the coast of Penzance when the blue shark, which can grow up to 13ft, swam straight towards him