THE danger of accidentally treading on venomous Weever fish while walking on the beach has been highlighted by H M Coastguard – Broad Haven.

The small, sand-coloured fish bury under the sand making them very difficult to see.

When stood on, the dorsal fin on the fish’s spine embeds into your foot and discharges venom which causes the excruciating pain often experienced.

H M Coastguard – Broad Haven said: “We nearly had a shout yesterday...one of the team had the misfortune of stepping on a Weever fish in Broad Haven, so now has first-hand experience of the signs, symptoms and treatment.

“Luckily he was able to make it home and put his foot in a bucket of hot water for 90 minutes (luckily there was football on) which helped remove the venom and ease the pain.

“In all seriousness, if anyone is just splashing about in the shallows around low tide mark, a pair of water shoes come highly recommended.”

The RNLI have previously said the severity of a weever fish sting really depends on how you stand on it. If you stand directly onto the fish’s spinal fin, it causes the most pain.

You can avoid the fish either by wearing wetsuit or swimming shoes to protect your foot or by dragging your feet along the sand as you walk. This movement disrupts the sand and scares any nearby fish away.

You can treat a sting by placing the affected area into hot water. This breaks up the venom and, usually, after around 10 minutes, the pain will ease.