They’re not the most common sight in the chilly waters of the North Sea.
But real-life mermaid Ashleigh More has been making a splash at her coastal family home, to the delight of local land-dwellers.
The 29-year-old grew up on the Moray coast and was always drawn to the sea.
As a child, she idolised Princess Ariel from Disney’s classic The Little Mermaid.
Now Miss More is fulfilling her dream of becoming a mermaid princess herself – after the Covid-19 pandemic made her realise “it’s now or never”.
With her glittering tail and crown, she delights her young fans by posing on the rocks at Hopeman beach, where she spent most of her childhood. And her surprise appearances have helped raise hundreds of pounds for charity.
“The sea is in my blood,” Miss More, who lives in Edinburgh, said. “People get quite a surprise when they’re out walking their kids and don’t know I’m going to be there – and they all have their phones out taking pictures.
“It’s a dream come true.”
Dedication to magical mermaids
To qualify to become a mermaid, first she had to learn to free dive. This included holding her breath underwater in a swimming pool for two minutes and sitting a written exam.
Miss More said: “It [free diving] is a skill and it was the only way to become a mermaid, because if you didn’t know what you were doing it would be dangerous.
“To pass, I had to do a two-minute breath hold underwater and I didn’t think I was going to be able to, but I managed it on the last day.
“I had to qualify first, then I got the tail.”
Her specially designed 4ft fabric tail, complete with scales pattern, slides over a monofin that keeps her feet together, allowing her to move gracefully through the water.
Living in Scotland, Miss More admitted she will spend most of the winter on land, as the temperatures become too cold, even for her.
Known as the Moray Firth Mermaid, Miss More enjoys entertaining young fans on her visits north – a move which has helped raise vital funds for Macmillan Cancer Support and two local children’s causes.
But being a mermaid has its own costs, with her tail alone costing nearly £300, plus added extras, including her jewelled necklace and crown.
She even had hair extensions done by sister Hannah Archibald to lengthen her dark brown locks, while her specially designed shell bra was made by cousin Olivia More.
‘It’s a dream come true’
Like her idol Ariel, she also has her own “dinglehopper” – or fork – to comb her hair on the rocks while she takes a break from swimming.
Miss More now plans to sit her open water free diving course next year to expand her skills and allow her to perform in aquariums.
The actor – who took part in the National Theatre of Scotland’s special series Scenes for Survival last year – said: “If Covid has taught us anything, it’s that you have to just go for it, because you never know what’s going to happen.
“It’s a dream come true. I’ve always wanted to be a mermaid.”