A wildlife enthusiast has reported finding over 50 shark eggs on the beach at Askam-in-Furness.

Rachel Wilson runs a weekly wildlife talk for children, helping them learn about the world around them.

When she delivered her first walk and talk in Askam on February 16, Rachel couldn’t believe how many eggs they found.

The group found 50 eggs from the Spotted catshark, which is very common in this area, as well as eggs from a spotted ray and a Thornback ray.

After giving her talk and going on a tour around Duddon Inshore Rescue Boat House, Rachel saw an opportunity to take the children looking for wildlife that might have washed up on the shore.

The data Rachel collected will be sent off to the Sharks Trust charity who collects information to create a mapping of different species across the UK.

Rachel said this work is also important because the species found can tell you about the water quality. She explained that a Nursehound Shark is typically only found in water with few pollutants, and while they are a rare find around the Furness peninsula, they have been identified.

The group also made some other finds, one of the children found a coconut, and there was an unusual plant, which Rachel is trying to still identify.

Rachel previously volunteered with the Bay Blueprint for Recovery, part of the Cumbria Wildlife Trust, before graduating from Kendal College with a foundation degree in British Animal Management and Wildlife Rehabilitation.

Rachel said: “I have always been fascinated by nature even as a young child, I grew up watching nature documentaries, regularly walking out in nature whether it was in the woods, down the beach or up in the hills.

“I have always been a strong believer in getting the community involved and helping them learn what we have around us and changing people’s minds about the world around us. I also see the importance of getting out into nature for mental health as well as socialising and conquering fears.

“We only searched a small section of the beach, so I’m hoping to do more work on the beach and collect more data as the year goes on.”