SHARKS have been found in the River Mersey estuary, a new report has uncovered.

The Mersey Rivers Trust has announced the results of its latest survey, the most recent since 2002.

Three different types of sharks were all listed in the new survey, including at Howley Weir, following an unexpected increase in the number of species recorded.

Bull huss sharks were spotted in the river, along with smooth-hound and starry smooth-hound sharks, too.

According to the trust, there has been almost a 250 per cent increase in the 'species diversity' recorded in the River Mersey.

There were 37 different fish species recorded by the trust in the latest survey - compared to just 15 species of fish in 2002.

Fish caught in the new survey included flounder, bass, whiting, plaice, cod, and thornback ray - though more were listed, too.

Speaking to the BBC, Mark Duddy, senior project manager at the Mersey Rivers Trust, said that the survey's results were 'amazing' - the river was even considered 'biologically dead' in the 1970s and '80s.

Mark said: "The river was full of industrial pollution and sewage, it was possibly the most polluted river in Europe at the time.

"That continued until about 1985 and since then there's been billions of pounds spent on wastewater treatment works in the region.

"That's prompted this remarkable recovery. Everyone says that our wildlife is in decline, that's actually the opposite in the Mersey where wildlife is on this rapid improvement curve."

The trust's project manager said he expects more results to come in throughout 2023 as more surveys are carried out.