Hundreds of jellyfish have washed up on the Kent coast as people get set to flock to the beach this weekend.

A warning has been issued to sunseekers to be vigilant this weekend following sightings of the marine animals in Thanet.

Hundreds of jellyfish have been spotted in Thanet (Credit: Nik Mitchell of Facebook page Wildlife Conservation in Thanet)

Nik Mitchell, from Thanet Wildlife Conservation, told how he discovered 30 to 40 of the slimy creatures yesterday morning in Ramsgate.

He urged people not to put any that have washed up back in the water.

"What jellyfish do is they sting and if you’re heading to the coast this weekend, you’re probably going to encounter jellyfish because I found loads," he said.

"There’s news reports where they have been washing up in a lot of places."

He said there had been a "marine life stranding" on the south east coast this week.

According to the NHS website, if you are stung by a jellyfish, you should:

• Rinse the affected area with seawater (not fresh water)
• Remove any spines from the skin using tweezers or the edge of a bank card
• Soak the area in very warm water (as hot as can be tolerated) for at least 30 minutes – use hot flannels or towels if you cannot soak it
• Take painkillers like paracetamol or ibuprofen

Read more: All the latest news from Thanet