Is this Britain's first Great White shark sighting?

Photos believed to be of the ocean predator were captured by 42-year-old web designer James Venn while he stood on the beach in Goring, Sussex.

Mr Venn, who lives locally, spotted a distinctive triangular fin in the water in the afternoon on February 4 nearby to where a man had been surfing just moments before.

He said: "I went down to the beach to feed the birds when I saw something come up just behind the waves.

"I couldn't make out what it was so I followed it along the shore.

"It then surfaced so I ran to grab my camera and looked out to try and see it again before taking the photos.

• SEE ALSO: The types of sharks found in UK waters

"At the time I thought it was a seal but, when I looked at the photos again, I thought it doesn't look like a seal so it was something else."

Mr Venn sent the images to experienced shark fisherman Graeme Pullen, who said that it was "an undisputed shark".

A surfer was spotted in the area moments before the 'shark' was spotted: credit - JamesVenn/BNPS

Mr Pullen, 70, said that, due to the size and distinctive triangular shape of the dorsal fin, it could only be a mako or a small great white shark.

However, he ruled out the former due to the cold temperature of the water.

He said: "It can only be a small, immature great white who was looking for seals or bass to eat as they are more likely to come in close (to land) to feed."

The creature was spotted 30 miles away from another credible sighting of a great white off Hayling Island in Hampshire in 2017.

Mr Pullen said: "There is an area around Langstone and Chichester where no commercial fishing is allowed so it could be living there.

"A shark can travel at at least 3mph and is in constant motion so it could cover 70 miles in a day, going from Southsea to Worthing and back.

"A great white could comfortably live permanently in these waters."

If confirmed, it would be the first time a great white has ever been spotted in British waters.

Last summer, sharks were spotted in waters off Bournemouth beach and across the Dorset coastline.

Marc Kativu-Smith, Dorset Wildlife Trust coastal centres manager, told the Echo that “the public are often surprised to find out that we have sharks in Dorset,” but that “they have always been here and are an important part of our seas.”

He added: “Sadly over 50% of British sharks are threatened or near threatened. As top predators, sharks are important for keeping our seas healthy and in balance.”

The largest predatory fish on earth, the great white shark can grow up to six metres (20ft) long and can weigh up to around 2,300kg (5,000lb).

Although depicted as a ferocious man-eater in the film Jaws, humans are not the preferred prey of the shark. However, they have been responsible for the largest number of fatal unprovoked shark attacks, occurring roughly ten times a year around the world.