Beaches warning over 'dead man's fingers' plant
Millom CoastguardPeople are being warned about a potentially lethal plant which has been found on beaches.
Hemlock water dropwort - also known as dead man's fingers - washed up at Arnside, Cumbria, with Westmorland and Furness Council warning it could appear on other beaches and shores in the area due to recent weather conditions and tides.
The toxic plant, which resembles a parsnip, can prove fatal to humans by attacking the nervous system and causing the body to shut down.
The council advised people not to touch the plant and keep pets away from affected areas.
Hemlock Water Dropwort occurs naturally along the shoreline and while its roots or tubers are usually buried, stormy weather can disturb them and leave them exposed, the council said.
There were also previous sightings of the plant at beaches at Drigg and Parton in Cumbria and in Argyll and Bute.
