Comedian Guy Venables thought it was funny when he went skinny dipping in a shark tank for a bet.

But staff at the Sea Life Centre in Brighton did not consider it to be a laughing matter.

Now the shark in the tank has died days after the incident, staff are thinking of taking legal action against him if an autopsy shows the death was caused by shock.

Mr Venables has shown remorse for his prank which was undertaken to publicise his show at Komedia in Gardner Street.

The whole affair might have ended without rancour had it not been for the unfortunate death of the shark.

Mr Venables was to have been given a tour of the centre but was instead asked to clean a tunnel under the shark tank.

Legal action against Mr Venables would be a warning against him or any other prankster never to do it again.