Hastings Blue Reef Aquarium is awash with a host of bizarre new Pokemon Go characters.
Staff at the Rock-a-Nore Road attraction noticed an increase in visitors using their smartphones in and around the aquarium.
They enlisted the expertise of a younger member of the team who confirmed the aquarium was now home to a collection of mainly aquatic-themed Pokemon characters.
Blue Reef Aquarium’s Leanna Lawson said: “Some of our younger aquarists have been on a mission to track down as many of the different characters as possible in and around the aquarium.
“So far they have discovered there are at least five characters including Pidgea, Tentacool, who we captured above one of the open top displays, Shellder, Eevee and Horsea and we are a PokeStop, allowing you to collect more PokeBalls.
“What’s particularly fun is that virtually every one of them is based on a sea creature so where better for them to hang out?” she added.
Hastings Castle is also being overrun with the augmented reality characters with no fewer than five spotted among the ruins including Zubat, Diglett, Drowzee and Pidgeotto.
Pokemon Go is an augmented reality game on smartphones. Players move around the real world in search of hundreds of virtual monster characters.
Pokemon first became popular in the 1990s when they appeared on the Nintendo Game Boy.
In the latest versions, which is already proving to be a global phenomenon, players can visit Pokestops – typically landmarks or buildings – and collect free items in the game.
The main aim is to catch Pokemon, which pop up along the way. The game provides an augmented reality experience, using the smartphone’s camera to provide a live view of the world, with Pokemon superimposed.
Any creatures caught can be used in battles against other players at Pokemon gyms.