A DIVING expedition off the Lizard Peninsula has uncovered rare sea creatures, leading to a call to extend the marine conservation zone.

Cornwall Wildlife Trust visited the Manacles reef, a Marine Conversation Zone since 2013, and treacherously rocky area.

A team of 13 experienced volunteer divers conducted a Seasearch expedition to survey the reef’s marine life, made possible by a grant from the marine charity Sea-Changers and carried out from Porthkerris Dive Centre. The team surveyed the reef, as well as areas just to the south, off Lowland Point and around Puskies rock.

Several distinct species were seen, including pink sea fan anemones and jewel anemones, pollack, corkwing wrasse and the inquisitive cuckoo wrasse, among the UK’s most brightly coloured fish species.

A highlight was the discovery of a rarely recorded species, the sea fan anemone, which is only ever found growing attached to soft coral called the pink sea fan - itself nationally scarce, although on the Manacles it is common.

Matt Slater, marine awareness officer for Cornwall Wildlife Trust, said: “You can see why this area is so famous for its marine life and it is fantastic that this reef has been designated as a Marine Conservation Zone.

"The expedition has shown that the boundary of the conservation zone should really be extended further south to include these areas as they are just as valuable and rich in life as the reef which is currently protected.”