Terrified beachgoers were sent swimming for their lives as a huge shark was spotted circling menacingly in shallow waters off the coast of Florida.

In scenes reminiscent of the film Jaws, beachgoers enjoying a day out on the sands were sent packing when a large shark fin was spotted thrashing and flailing out in the open waters.

Dramatic footage of the incident shows a swimmer on an inflatable relaxing on the waters when two people beside him flee in terror, accompanied by frantic calls of ‘shark!’ being yelled out to alert those who may not have seen the imminent danger.

But unlike in the film where the predatory Great White sneaks up on swimmers without any warning, the shark appeared to be extremely active and agitated, thrashing around and creating quite a splash.

The shark was spotted at 2.15pm on Sunday afternoon in Perdido Key, and was moving at such speeds that it appeared to be creating waves all on its own.

Experts believe the creature to be a Hammerhead or Thresher shark, which are often spotted in the area, and that it was likely foraging for food due to the large amount of bait fish which were previously sighted in the waters.

Kennady Brinley, a marine biologist with Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge, said shark sightings are much higher in June than any month out of the year.

She said it’s no surprise the animals are still being spotted near shore at the start of July.

Earlier in the week, a school of Hammerhead sharks were spotted circling in a nearby dock, much to the surprise of some local boaters.

Marine biologists suggest avoiding swimming in the ocean before dawn and after dusk when sharks are often looking to feed.

‘This is the time when sharks become more active. They actually feed more commonly, generally, during these twilight hours of both dawn and dusk. And why is that? Because they have sort of the advantage on their prey’, explained ocean biologist Bob Hueter to WINK.

It is also recommended not going into the water if bleeding and to refrain from wearing bright swimsuits which sharks can be attracted to.

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