A vast swarm of jellyfish has stung hundreds of swimmers on three Spanish beaches.

Around 700 people were attacked over three days starting on Sunday at three beaches where normally just a handful get stung daily, said an official in the town hall of Elche on Spain's Costa Blanca.

He said the invasion involved a small, almost transparent species that most swimmers probably could not even detect as it floated in a large but dispersed group.

Spanish marine biologists had said that in general they were seeing fewer jellyfish this summer.

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