Beach-goers are being warned not to enter the sea at Folkestone following a suspected shark sighting.

Red flags are flying at the town's main Sunny Sands beach, and further along the coastline at The Warren.

Swimmers spotted a fin cutting through the gentle waves yesterday.

Experts believe it was that of a basking shark.

As a result, a 24-hour swim ban is now being enforced by Folkestone Sea Rescue.

A statement on its website reads: "As a precaution, we are advising that people do not swim at these locations for 24 hours.

"Basking sharks are very large fish which feed off plankton, and are not considered dangerous to people or animals.

"Basking sharks have occasionally been seen off the Kent coast over the past few years.

"While the risks are usually low, you should still keep your distance from any marine animals you may see while at the coast, including basking sharks.

The sharks, which eat plankton rather than fish (or humans), are the second-largest living sharks in the world.

Fully grown adults can grow up to 8m in length and weigh up to 5,200 kg.

They have been seen a number of times off the Kent coast, and have also been known to wash up on shore.

'While the risks are usually low, you should still keep your distance...'

In 2018, a 7ft to 8ft basking shark washed up in Deal.

Emma Horne, 30, yesterday told The Sun how she raced to get her two sons out of the water near the Warren after spotting the shark.

"There were two young boys who spotted it and were clearly scared — they ran away and one of them shouted, ‘is that a shark?’," she said.

“I warned people and a woman quickly called her dog out of the sea. She was worried."