A deadly great white shark is feared to be heading straight for Britain – and could arrive just in time for this weekend’s heatwave.
US scientists have been tracking a one-tonne man-eater called Lydia for 19,000 miles as part of a groundbreaking ocean life study.
Their latest readings show the 15ft beast making a bee-line for Britain.
Lydia has swum 380-miles in the past 72 hours and is currently near the Mid-Atlantic Ridge about 1,000 miles away.
If she keeps to her current path she will reach the beaches of Cornwall in two day’s time, just as the British weather hits an unseasonal 19c – hotter than Corfu.
Dr Gregory Skomal, senior fisheries biologist with Massachusetts Marine Fisheries, said Lydia was now closer to Europe than North America.
If she swims over the Mid-Atlantic Ridge she will be the first recorded great white to cross the Atlantic.
He said: “She technically does not cross the Atlantic until she crosses the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which she has yet to do.
“We have no idea how far she will go, but Europe, the Med, and the coast of Africa are all feasible.”
The Ocearch project aims to tag sharks to learn more about their movements.
The team used a 34,000kg hydraulic platform to hoist Lydia from the water in order to fit the tracking device.
Though Lydia’s journey is impressive, great whites are known for their marathon migrations.
In 2003 a great white nicknamed Nicole travelled from South Africa to Australia and back – a whopping 12,400 miles.
why is she being called a maneater when she hasn’t attacked humans?