Weever fish warning for Yorkshire Coast beachgoers
The RNLI is asking people to be careful about weever fish in the sand
There is a warning for people coming to the Yorkshire Coast to be careful about weever fish on beaches.
The RNLI is issuing advice as well as its usual reminders of water safety.
Elliot Rogers, who is from the charity's water safety team for the North and East, said:
"A weever is a small fish that buries itself into the sand, has a small fin on its back and if you stand on that it can break off into your foot for example and leave that person in some excruciating pain often. Our lifeguards deal with those quite regularly and we can treat those quite quickly and easily.
"You can wear footwear because they can't get through the sole of that shoe or footwear but to be honest, quite often it can be really, really hard to see those or spot them so if you do stand on a weever fish and you experience a weever fish sting, if you go and speak to the lifeguards at the beach then they'll be able to help you out and treat that.
"A weever fish sting can be very painful and it can affect everyone differently. Lifeguards can treat those stings by putting the affected area into some hot water, as hot as you can withstand, and that helps to treat that sting."
Elliot added:
"Go to a lifeguarded beach. Those lifeguards are there to help keep you safe and they use red and yellow flags to show you where it's safest to swim. If you do visit the coast or you visit a beach, it's really important that you always go with someone so that you've got somebody there to get help in an emergency.
"If you do get into any trouble in the water you should float on your back, relax, stay calm and wait for help to come. If you see somebody else in trouble then you should call 999 and ask for the Coastguard."