A north Norfolk woman has shared the moment she claims she spotted a basking shark swimming next to Cromer Pier.

Eastern Daily Press: A north Norfolk woman has shared the moment she spotted a basking shark swimming next to Cromer Pier. Picture: Erin-May HicksA north Norfolk woman has shared the moment she spotted a basking shark swimming next to Cromer Pier. Picture: Erin-May Hicks (Image: Archant)

Erin-May Hicks, who has lived in Cromer for 10 years, spotted what she thought looked like a shark at 8am on Sunday morning (August 25).

She said: "I've lived around here for over 10 years but I've never seen something like that before.

"I just saw a shadow in the water and started watching it I wasn't sure what it was but just based on its behaviour and size it's likely to be a basking shark or some type of basking fish."

She added: "Hopefully no one catches it at the crabbing championships later."

Eastern Daily Press: A north Norfolk woman has shared the moment she spotted a basking shark swimming next to Cromer Pier. Picture: Erin-May HicksA north Norfolk woman has shared the moment she spotted a basking shark swimming next to Cromer Pier. Picture: Erin-May Hicks (Image: Archant)

Dive instructor Polly Wake, from Christal Seas Scuba, who dives regularly off the north Norfolk coast, said: "I've never heard of a basking shark in Norfolk, but it's not impossible, we've had pods of orcas before.

"You get basking sharks around the UK, normally in Scotland and Cornwall.

"But because the oceans are changing, marine life is getting confused.

"As temperatures change and currents change you are seeing a change in wildlife you seen in certain places."

The basking shark is largest in UK seas, reaching up to 11m in length. But there is no need to fear them, as they only eat plankton.