A woman bather suffered foot injuries after she was attacked by a cormorant while swimming at Tresaith.

The experienced swimmer, said to be in her 30s, was spotted fending off the bird last week.

She was assisted by coastguards and brought back to shore having suffered numerous cuts to her feet during the attack.

A spokesman for the coastguard said the cormorant, which can have a wingspan of more than three feet, had most probably attacked in self-defence when the swimmer panicked after the bird surfaced from a dive close to her.

Cormorants are common sights of the Ceredigion coast and can weigh up to ten pounds. They survive by diving into the sea to catch fish.

The birds are excellent underwater swimmers and have been recorded at depths of up to 45 metres before they return to the surface.

“The swimmer probably spooked it,” said the spokesman.

The woman was treated for her injuries on the beach by lifeguards Rhodri Evans and Alfie Bodenham and advised to seek further medical attention.

Earlier in the day the pair had also also provided first aid to a woman in her 70s who was pulled to the ground by her dog in the beach car park, injuring her ribs.

Due to her high breathing rate, the lifeguards administered oxygen and called for an ambulance.

He then monitored the woman’s condition until paramedics arrived to take over her treatment.

Ceredigion Lifeguard Supervisor Sam Trevor said: "It has been a busy period on the beaches of Ceredigion.

“Our lifeguards are trained in a wide range of scenarios and the incidents they responded to recently show the importance of this.