A windysting intail forjellyfish.

The hurricanes that battered the Caribbean and Florida this summer may be responsible for hundreds of jellyfish found washed up in Porthcawl.

The dead and dying creatures appeared on the promenade shoreline at high tide yesterday afternoon and there are also reports some have washed up at Rest Bay.

Coastguard Alison Missen said they discovered the jellyfish at about 3pm when they went to investigate what was causing a pungent smell.

'The smell is overpowering,' she said.

Biologist and broadcaster Howie Watkins, who used to present children's programme The Really Wild Show, said it is not unusual for jellyfish to wash up in the area.

'These big weather systems and storms like the recent hurricanes cause them all to get grouped together and pushed over to our side of the Atlantic,' he said.

Mr Watkins, who is researching porpoise activity in the Bristol Channel, said the jellyfish, which are blue and about six inches long with a sail on their backs, may be what are known as By-The-Wind-Sailor or Velella Velella jellyfish.

According to The Marine Life Information Network for Britain and Ireland's website, hundreds of this species, which usually live in tropical waters, were also found washed up on the beaches of Pembrokeshire on September 15.

Liam Ronan, spokesman for Bridgend County Borough Council, said an environmental health officer is due to inspect the seafront today. But he added that in these situations, the jellyfish are usually left to be washed back out to sea.