Lifeguards at Lido Beach cleared the waters Sunday afternoon after a shark sighting.

Frank Falcone, a lifeguard for the Town of Hempstead, says it looked like a brown or a bull shark that was about 5 to 7 feet long.

Neighboring beaches including Nickerson, Jones and Long Beach were notified and took appropriate precautions.

News 12 Long Island was told there have been more sightings of sharks in the last two years than the Island has had in over a decade.

Some fishermen have even reported catching larger and larger sharks in our waters.

Officials say no one was allowed back in the water until they could confirm that the shark had left the area.

Afterward, the beach was gradually reopened until about 3 p.m. when the entire beach was fully re-opened.