A dog walker who found a 'funny-looking fish' on a beach was stunned to find it was a tiny shark.

Eastern Daily Press: Sean Hall was walking his dog along Pakefield beach when he saw a mini shark - suspected to be a porbeagle - washed up on the beach. Picture: Sean HallSean Hall was walking his dog along Pakefield beach when he saw a mini shark - suspected to be a porbeagle - washed up on the beach. Picture: Sean Hall (Image: Sean Hall)

Sean Hall, 49, was walking his dog Dave along the beach at Pakefield, near Lowestoft, on Friday evening when he noticed what he thought was a fish lying on the sand.

'I actually saw a seal there last week, in the same place,' he said. 'It was just by the groyne, my dog started to run up to it.

'I got close and thought 'what on earth is that?' It was a funny-looking fish.'

But Mr Hall did not expect to find a shark, with its unmistakable fin, jagged sharp teeth and black bulging eye staring back at him.

Eastern Daily Press: Sean Hall with his fiancée Paula Samkin. Picture: Sean HallSean Hall with his fiancée Paula Samkin. Picture: Sean Hall (Image: Sean Hall)

'I thought oh my God, it's a shark. I'd never seen anything like it, nothing that could be mistaken for a shark, it had proper teeth and a fin.

'If you saw that swimming around you in the water you'd be getting out.'

Mr Hall, of All Saints Road, who is area business manager for Suffolk County Council, decided to push the shark back into the water as he knew the stretch of beach where it was found was popular with dog walkers.

But not before taking a picture of the beached 2.5ft shark which he later posted on a Facebook page with the message: 'OMG! I thought seeing a seal last week was rare, but I only just found a ruddy shark on the beach. Be careful of them toes if you're paddling!! Fortunately this one's deceased.'

Within an hour the post had received more than 150 comments and 145 reactions, with many suspecting it to be a porbeagle, a species of mackerel shark which are commonly found in the North Atlantic Ocean.

Mr Hall said: 'I didn't expect such a reaction, there are people saying it's fake and you're trying to defend yourself, but why would I put up a picture of a fake shark?'

Mr Hall showed the picture to his fiancée, Paula Samkin, who was equally as surprised to learn a shark had made its way to the Suffolk beach.

'It's actually amazing, I'm still shocked,' Mr Hall said. 'It was like a miniature version of Jaws, like a mini great white.

'It's not the sort of thing you expect to find.'