A shocking blue lobster has been homed in Southend Sea Life Adventure after it was caught off the coast of Essex.

Gary Ely, a fisherman from Essex, pulled the peculiar creature out of the water whilst on his boat off the coast of Mersea Island whilst on a trawl on 2nd July.

Mr Ely thought the lobster, who they named Loui, was too good eat so, after keeping him in a restaurant tank for a short while, he gave Loui to his daughter to find him a new home.

He is currently being held in Sea Life Adventure in Southend but will not be on display to the public until he has undergone a 30-day quarantine period.

Gary’s daughter, Stacey Belbin, who runs Lady Grace Boat Trips on Mersea Island, said: “We were all obviously very excited.

“My Dad was upset and part of him wanted to put him back in the sea, but he knew that somebody else would catch him and kill him.”

Although it is uncommon to see bright blue lobsters on the surface, it is not rare for young lobsters to appear in this colour.

Generally their colour fades with age and their exterior becomes darker.

Southend Sea Life Adventure previously had a lobster they believed was albino, but after a moult it turned out the crustacean was a blue.

Loui may lose his colour, but staff at Sea Life Adventure are hopeful he will maintain it.

A spokesperson for Southend Sea Life Centre said: “This lobster is currently undergoing a 30-day quarantine period where we closely observe it before it can be put on display with our other animals.

“The lobster is certainly a beautiful colour and will fit in well with our native tanks – especially if the alternative was being sold to a restaurant.

“We hope that he will be just as bright following a moult although we know that we’ll love and care for him regardless.”