The tale of two Perth mermaids might sound far-fetched but it’s certainly not untrue.

For the last few years Mermaids Jessica Bell and Amelia Lassetter have become a popular ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ attraction on West Australian beaches.

The former art students like to surprise unsuspecting members of the public with their realistic interpretation of the legendary marine creature.

They can often be found sunning themselves at local tourists spots, wearing highly realistic and visually stunning tails.

View photos The Perth Mermaids often surprise local beach goers. More

“They’re not a toy, they’re a piece of art that you can wear,” Mermaid Amelia told Yahoo7.

“They weigh about 15kg each and squeeze your body into an awkward position which can be a bit painful… but once you are in the water they’re amazing,” Mermaid Jess said.

The fins used on Jess and Amelia’s tails are the same that are used in Olympic diving and moving about in them is physically demanding.

“We’re both big water babies anyway, but we have done dive training since we got the tails,” Mermaid Jess said.

“You’ve got to have a lot of experience in the water, be a really strong swimmer and know how to hold your breath… it takes a lot more stamina than most people realise.

“We do a lot of underwater work with photos and underwater performances… We both love being in the ocean, I feel really peaceful when I’m under the water”.

View photos Photo: Perth Mermaids More

While both Jess and Amelia now have made solid investments in their tails, in the early days they were all handmade.

“We never actually intended it to be a business… at first it was just a hobby for us,” Mermaid Amelia said.

“Jess and I met at uni doing visual arts, she was interested in underwater photography and used to photograph me.

“It didn’t take long for us to start experimenting with fabrics”.

As for the tails they have now, the pair used crowdfunding and their mermaid appearances to raise enough money for them.

“We gave people artwork if they donated towards the new tails and also gave appearances in exchange,” Mermaid Jess said.

View photos Photo: Perth Mermaids More

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