THERE are already several well-known sharks in Sale, but until this one showed up they were mainly of the human, sporting kind.

All that changed earlier this week when Timperley resident Pam Burgess discovered a short finned mako shark in the back garden of her Brook Lane home.

While Trafford's premier league rugby side, Sale Sharks, has suggested a familial link to Sharky the mascot, the discovery of the fish skull has perplexed the Burgess family and wildlife experts.

The mako shark, when alive, prefers the warmer waters of the Gulf of Mexico to the temperate climes of the Manchester Ship Canal.

Mrs Burgess said: "I saw something sticking out above the grass and noticed that the birds were pecking at it. I went out to check on it and discovered the skull with teeth up to three inches in length.

"It's a complete mystery as to how it got there because I think it would be too heavy for a fox to carry or even to drag."

Mrs Burgess's husband told her to bin the smelly remains, but she was keen to discover what beast it was and from where it came.

She sent a picture to the Knutsford-based Lower Moss Wood Educational Nature Reserve and Wildlife Centre, where it was identified by Ray Jackson, who had the find confirmed by an expert at Chester Zoo.

Mr Jackson explained: "When I first looked at the skull I thought it was slightly crocodilian, so I phoned a friend at Chester Zoo and a vet there identified it as a shark. You can buy sharks online, but for a shark to turn up in a garden in Trafford is a bit strange."

Meanwhile, Mrs Burgess and her husband are no nearer discovering how the shark got there.

She added: "It's quite bizarre why this ended up in our garden and when I first looked out of the window I thought it was a turkey carcass until I saw its massive jaw and teeth.

"I would like someone to explain how this ended up in my back garden but clearly I am not sure we will ever get to the bottom of it."

A spokesman for Sale Sharks said: "The lads at the club are fascinated by this and are wondering whether Sale was ever by the seaside or whether it is the remains of Sharky’s uncle, who disappeared while on a stag do a few years ago!"

According to Wilkipedia, the average adult mako shark measures 3.2m(10ft) and weighs anything between 60kg to 135kg(132lb to 298lb). They are seldom found in waters colder than 16C, but can be found anywhere from Argentina to Nova Scotia.

Readers with ideas of how the shark's skull ended up in Mrs Burgess's garden should email their thoughts to sam.editorial@messengergrp.co.uk