FANCY a large bowl of jelly fish, that is Well, marine expert Greg Wilde just couldn't wait to try his hand.

The 21-year-old Isle of Wight expert emerged more or less unscathed after taking a dip in a tank full of jellyfish at Portsmouth Sea Life Centre.

The stunt was arranged to let people know that the common moon jellyfish - the species most frequently seen round British shores - is relatively harmless to humans.

Sea Life jelly specialist Paul Waines said he believed people were ignorant about jellyfish.

"I've seen people running out of the sea because they've seen one; and children have been throwing stones at them in the boating lake by Southsea pier," he said.

"But, although some tropical jellyfish have nasty stings, the moon jelly's venom is so mild most people don't feel anything at all.

"People with an allergy or young children with very soft skin might feel a very mild sting, but this would, at worst, be similar to a nettle sting."

Paul provided a commentary while Greg doggy-paddled in a three-metre tall cylindrical jellyfish tank.

The exercise was part publicity and part research. Paul, a 26 year old former DNA scientist has spent the last year rearing half a dozen different species in his own unique "jellylab" at Weymouth Sea Life Park.

As a result of his work, Portsmouth Sea Life Centre can now hold a special exhibition dedicated to the jellyfish, called Phantoms of the Deep. It opened officially this week.

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