Several dead fish wash up on Worthing beach

Shannon Franks and her daughter Darcy, three, were walking along the shoreline behind the Splashpoint Leisure Centre in Brighton Road, Worthing, yesterday afternoon (November 9) when they spotted the foot-long fish.

The 27-year-old from Broadwater said: "Throwing stones in the water, my daughter then started shouting ‘fish’. It was really big! And was curled up.

"We then made our way alongside the water towards Chipwick, and we came across five more, all similar in size."

She added: "I was so surprised to come across them and have never seen anything like this before."

Her partner took to the internet to find out what they were - and believed they could be catsharks.

According to the Wildlife Trust, they used to be called lesser-spotted dogfish and are a predator that feeds on shellfish and molluscs. They curl up in a doughnut shape when threatened and have tiny 'skin teeth' on their skin which makes it feel like sandpaper, offering them further protection.

They live close to the seabed in shallow waters and can be seen washed up dead after storms, the Wildlife Trust said.