Great white sharks could soon appear in BRITAIN

• Ocearch believes great white sharks may be heading to Ireland and Cornwall
• The waters are a good temperature to harbor sharks and both areas are home to seals.

Great white sharks have been a distant nightmare for the British since the release of Jaws in 1975.

But now, experts warn that these man-eating fish could soon turn up in UK waters as they migrate north in search of prey.

US-based Ocearch, which has tracked 400 sharks, says great whites are likely heading to Ireland and Cornwall this summer.

Not only is the water the perfect temperature this time of year, but both locations are also teeming with sea lion populations.

These attributes make for an ideal hunting ground, according to Ocearch founder Chris Fischer, who said The times that sharks can persist year after year.

He told the publication: “We think Mediterranean white sharks should move north to feed on seals, like all the other populations we’ve worked on.”

“We think they should move beyond Brest (in Brittany) and Cornwall.”

While South Africa and Australia are often associated with great white sharks, these fish can be found in numerous locations around the world.

wildlife conservationist richard peirce claims that over 100 ‘sightings’ have been reported in the UK over the past 15 years.

But only 12 of them remain credible, and six occurred off the Cornish coast.

Despite this infrequency, the UK coastline is believed to be home to ideal conditions for great white sharks.

The normal temperature range for this species is between 57.2°F/14°C and 68°F/20°C, which is consistent with British water in the summer.

Gavin Naylor, director of the Florida Shark Research Program, believes there is “no reason” why they shouldn’t lurk near Britain.

“Strictly speaking, there’s no reason white sharks shouldn’t be found off the UK coast,” he told MailOnline.

“The habitat is suitable and there is plenty of food available.”

However, Naylor stressed that there is no clear contemporary evidence of their migration to the UK, even if they do swim nearby from time to time.

He continued: ‘Predators move primarily to find food and/or find a mate.

“Although there is plenty of potential white shark food in UK waters, white sharks are evidently content with the tried and true food supplies they are currently exploiting. This, of course, could change in the future.’