Stunning photos have captured the outbreak of a rare and beautiful phenomenon caused by the recent hot weather.
The hottest summer we’ve had for decades has caused a surge in bioluminescent plankton, causing glowing seas around the British coast.
Tim Bow captured the fantastic sight at Aberavon Beach, Port Talbot, Wales.
He said: ‘Bioluminescent plankton is randomly popping up at different locations around Wales.
‘It’s been spotted at different locations along the South Wales coast in the past week although it’s slightly unpredictable.
‘It’s believed that the increased sightings are from the high temperatures we have had over the past few weeks warming the waters around the UK.’
The light occurs because of a complex chemical reaction known as bioluminescence.
Organisms such as jellyfish, squid and fireflies generally use the production of light as a defence against predators.
But it wasn’t the first time such a beautiful sight was captured off the Welsh coast.
Earlier this month another outbreak of bioluminescent plankton was captured swarming in the Irish Sea in Anglesey.
It took photographer Paul Joinson, 46, around 18 seconds to capture the photograph in Penmon which appears to show the plankton jumping out of the water in about 22C heat.
Paul, from Rhos-on-Sea, Wales said: ‘I can only describe it like something from Avatar.
‘I have never seen anything like it in my life.
‘It is really rare, after I posted the picture around two hundred people went to visit two weeks after and still no one has seen it.
‘The light only covered around 30 ft of the sea. ‘And when you would hold the water in your hand you would see the little plankton particles sliding off.
‘It was really cool especially with the clouds at the back.’
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