Mystery after 'basking shark' spotted off Cromer coast

The suspected shark was seen off the coast of Overstrand near Cromer by Matt Ramsden on Saturday, July 8. 

But experts have rebutted the claim that the shark, which can grow up to 29ft long, was swimming in Norfolk waters.

Mr Ramsden, who was on a walk with friends, said: "We couldn’t work out what the dark blob was, until our friend, who is a marine aficionado, realised it was a basking shark.

"We were staggered by the sighting as we had never seen anything like it in all our years of walking along the coast."

Basking sharks have been seen in Norfolk's waters before, with a woman spotting one next to Cromer Pier in 2019.

READ MORE: Why are small sharks washing up on the Norfolk coast?

Two years ago, another family spotted the sharks' triangular-shaped fin - similar to what Mr Ramsden recorded - in the sea near Caister beach.

Due to the nature of the footage, experts found it difficult to establish whether the group had encountered a basking shark - which are usually seen only in Cornwall and Scotland when visiting the UK.

Carl Chapman, a regional Sea Watch Foundation coordinator, said: "It looks more like an ocean sunfish, as if it was a basking shark it would usually also show the tail fin in the calm conditions depicted."

Sunfish occasionally crop up in Norfolk's waters, with one found on Great Yarmouth beach earlier this year.

The tropical fish is rare in UK waters but has been seen in the North Sea in recent years due to rising sea temperatures.

Although, as it is "bobbing up and down" the sighting could be "a sleeping seal" according to Jack Renwick from the Shark Trust.