It’s not uncommon for customers of a Falmouth bar to feel a bit wobbly after having one too many – but the discovery of two buckets full of Portuguese man o’ war on the roof took things to the next level.

Confused staff at the Games Room made the surprising discovery at the end of last week, opening the pink buckets they had spotted earlier in the week, on the roof which provides shared access to a set of nearby flats.

General manager Kathy St Quintin opened the tubs along with her manager to find dozens of the creatures – which contrary to popular belief are not jellyfish but a type of hydrozoan, made up of more than one animal working together as one – although sadly many of them appeared to be dead.

Kathy said: "It's been a bit of a bizarre week. I saw them on Tuesday but didn't think anything of it, apart from needing to get rid of them because people do dispose of things up there.

"We went up there at the weekend and went 'oh my God, that's man o' war jellyfish.'"

Knowing they needed to get rid of the creatures as they could be hazardous to the public, staff contacted the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) for help on what to do with their unwanted lock-ins.

They were advised to tip them back into the water and let nature take its course, so Kathy, wearing three pairs of gloves and armed with a bottle of vinegar in case she got stung, took them to Church Street Car Park and poured them back, making sure there was no-one nearby at the time.

The MCS told its followers on social media that it had “odd news” to report, saying: “We were very surprised to hear from the Games Room in Falmouth that someone had left two buckets of Portuguese man 'o war on the flat roof of their pub.

“Please do not collect these animals when you find them, just report them to us. If the local council doesn't do official disposals, let the tide take them back.

“They shouldn't be touched or picked up at all - they're venomous.”

Kathy revealed that the tubs had been left on the roof by a research student who lives in one of the flats, who had collected them for coursework, and had planned to dispose of them once she had finished with them.

She added: "She's very embarrassed."

The past week has seen a sharp rise in the number of reports of Portuguese man o’ war being stranded on beaches in the area and the MCS has asked people to continue sharing any sightings with the organisation.

It is the tentacles of the creatures that pose the threat, carrying a nasty sting that in extreme cases can be fatal although usually just leaves its victim suffering serious discomfort for a few hours.