Great white shark alert mistakenly sent to locals in Fortrose, Scottish Highlands instead of New Zealand

A great white shark alert was mistakenly sent to a Scottish coastal town – after it was meant for a place in New Zealand with the same name.

Shark Experience, a sightseeing tour company, pinged an email to those who had set up Google alerts for Sharks in Fortrose, encouraging residents to take to the beaches in search of a tag that had been shed from a great white.

It also shared an appeal on Facebook, encouraging locals to take part in a “treasure hunt with a difference”.

However, the alert went to the town in the Scottish Highlands – and not the intended New Zealand town also named Fortrose.

The mussel-shaped tag was eventually found on dry rocks around cliffs in the Catlins area in South Island, New Zealand, by a labrador named Quasi on December 5.

“A big thank you to everyone who has helped with the hunt for the Shark Tag at Fortrose,” read a statement from Shark Experience.

“Quasi the lab and his fabulous owner Kelsi found the right bit of seaweed at the right time – the tag is on its way to the science guys now.

“Massive thank you to Kelsi and Quasi the lab who located the precious wee package.”