This bizarre sea creature with hundreds of moving tentacles baffled locals after it washed up on a beach.

The mystery marine species - which resembles a huge piece of seaweed - washed up on the shore in Kien Giang province, southern Vietnam, on July 29.

A local tour guide scooped it up and placed it on a green plastic table inside a nearby home where residents gathered to look.

Footage shows the dark brown alien-like creature twisting and turning. It has a star-shaped body in the middle with several branches spiralling out from the centre.

There are dozens of smaller tentacles on each branch, all moving around in different directions.

Tour guide Du Nam Du, who collected the creature from the shore, said: ''I don't know whether it's an animal, vegetation or something else.''

The mystery creature was later released back into the ocean - with locals still confused by what it was.

Kim Tho said: ''It's a monster. One day it will come back out of the ocean. It'll be ten times bigger.''

Linh Nguyen said: ''I don't know what it is but it's scary. It's actually gross and I don't want to be near it.''

Some online commenters said the creature was a basket starfish, although these usually live in South America.

This bizarre sea creature with hundreds of moving tentacles baffled locals after it washed up on a beach.

The mystery marine species - which resembles a huge piece of sea weed - washed up on the shore in Kien Giang province, southern Vietnam, on July 29.

A local tour guide scooped it up and placed it on a green plastic table inside a nearby home where residents gathered to look.

Footage shows the dark brown alien like creature twisting and turning. It has a star shaped body in the middle with several branches spiralling out from the centre.

On each branch are dozens more smaller tentacles all moving around in different directions.

Tour guide Du Nam Du, who collected the creature from the shore, said: ''I don't know whether it's an animal, vegetation or something else.''

The mystery creature was later released back into the ocean - with locals still confused by what it was.

Kim Tho said: ''It's a monster. One day it will come back out of the ocean. It'll be ten times bigger.''

Linh Nguyen said: ''I don't know what it is but it's scary. It's actually gross and I don't want to be near it.''