THIS monster fish had youngsters who encountered it on the sands of Poole Harbour in a spin over its appearance.

The creature was washed up at Whitley Lake over the weekend and emerged 50m off the beach as the tide went out.

Watersports instructors picked up the dead fish from the sands.

Identified as a smoothhound, it is a member of the shark family, but is harmless to humans.

It was just under the maximum size they grow to in the UK of 3ft and they are bottom feeders, eating small fish and crustaceans.

Dorset Wildlife Trust says they are often found along the waters of the Solent and they are primarily an inshore species, found around tidal flats, estuary mouths and in shallow bays.