A seaweed survey conducted along the coast of England has uncovered a purple sponge never before seen in the UK, the Wildlife Trusts have said.

Surveying the North Sea at a number of locations over a period of 10 days earlier this month, experts also found seaweed species new to the east coast of England, including the “reflexed grape weed” or red seaweed.

In total some 131 types of seaweed were recorded. Starlet sea anemones, a conservation priority in UK, were seen along the Suffolk and Norfolk coast.

An unidentified sea-slug which is new to Norfolk was found, while the unknown purple sponge was discovered during dives off East Runton.

The survey of the coast of Essex, Sussex, Norfolk, Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, Durham and Northumberland focused on seaweed but the team of surveyors, which included marine bio-logists, volunteer divers, a botanist and a wild food expert, used the opportunity to look at other species in the relatively unexplored waters.

The information gathered from the research, along with a Wildlife Trusts scheme to analyse nature on the shoreline, could be used in the future to help identify areas of special importance for marine life above and below the sea surface.

Joan Edwards, head of living seas for the Wildlife Trusts, said: “This survey has thrown up some important finds.

“Although the main objective was to survey seaweed, the team took advantage of being in a relatively unexplored environment to survey other species, resulting in the sponge discovery off Norfolk.

“The samples and results are still awaiting full analysis. We have no doubt that once this is done they’ll form a crucial part of our knowledge base around what’s living in the North Sea off the east coast of England.”