Mystery of bizarre ‘alien objects’ washed up on beaches of Devon and Cornwall solved… they’re actually urchins known as ‘sea potatoes’

THE mystery behind the strange ‘alien’ orbs which have been washing up on Britain’s beaches has been solved.

Yesterday we reported that holidaymakers were steering clear of the orbs, fearing they could be poisonous.

A dog walker took one of these home… and then binned it over fears it could come back to life
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A dog walker took one of these home… and then binned it over fears it could come back to lifeCredit: Apex News
Others thought the strange sea beasts, spotted in popular tourist spots in Cornwall and Devon, could be something from outer space, or harmless stray baseballs.

One dog walker took an orb home as a memento, before swiftly chucking it in the bin over fears it could spring to life and attack their family.

They were spotted on tourist beaches in Cornwall and Devon
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They were spotted on tourist beaches in Cornwall and DevonCredit: Apex News
But now marine experts have revealed the creatures are actually a species of urchins, known as ‘sea potatoes’, which live buried deep in the sand across the British coast.

What is a sea potato?
They normally live on – or under – the sea bed

They normally live on – or under – the sea bedCredit: Getty Images
The animals grow to sizes of 3 inches, and can survive in waters of up to 650ft.
They have dried shells which look like a potatoes, hence the name, and are a deep yellow colour.
The creatures also have special spoon-shaped spines on their backs, which help them dig up to 650ft into the ground and allow them to breathe.

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Hundreds of DEAD sea potatoes were found on the shore at Long Rock, between Penzance and Marazion, on Wednesday night.

This is thought to be the biggest mass mortality of sea potatoes since May 1995, when hundreds of them washed up on the south coast of England.

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