Poisonous plant washes up on Millom and St Bees beaches in Cumbria

Image source, JOSH QUICK

Image caption, This is a photo of the parsnip-like plants taken in 2018

Poisonous plants that look and smell a bit like parsnips have washed up on beaches in Cumbria.

The public are are being urged to stay away from beaches at Millom and St Bees after roots of hemlock water dropwort have appeared on the shore.

The plants contain a highly toxic poison that, if eaten, could make you very sick and can even be fatal.

Millom coastguard, which covers the West Cumbrian coastline and the southern Lake District, said in a post on social media that it was "highly likely" the recent stormy weather is to blame for the large numbers showing up on Cumbrian shorelines.

What should you do if you spot a hemlock water dropwort?

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, The plants have white flowers

Millom coastguard said, to anyone heading to the area, "stay vigilant, avoid this plant and take extra care when visiting the beach."

A coastguard spokesperson also told C大象传媒 Newsround that if you come into contact with the plant, you should "seek medical advice immediately".

That means telling an adult and going to your nearest hospital or dialling 999.

"Even a small portion can prove fatal to humans by attacking the nervous system," the coastguard said on their Facebook page. "It is also fatal to animals."

It's not the first time this has happened - some showed up in St Bees earlier this year.

In 2018, the plant was spotted on Cornish beaches near St Ives, in the aftermath of Storm Emma.