[Jimbuna]

'Thousands' of starfish wash up on beach in Margate

"Thousands" of starfish have washed up on a beach in Kent, with the local council warning residents "to keep dogs and children away from them".

The starfish were seen between Margate Winter Gardens and the lido at Margate Beach on Monday, according to Andy Freeman.

He spotted what appeared to be thousands of the dead sea creatures and posted images in a local Facebook group.

Wash-ups are common after spells of bad weather, and Margate reached low temperatures, endured spells of rain and strong winds in the days leading up to Monday, with the Met Office and Environment Agency warning those in the area of potential flooding.

The Environment Agency says marine life such as whole invertebrates, like starfish, crabs and other crustaceans can be vulnerable to wash-ups as they tend to live in or migrate to shallow water, meaning they are more likely to be swept on to beaches.

Thanet District Council said they were aware of the incident and said it was "likely to have been caused by recent rough seas and onshore winds".

"We understand the concern from members of the public when sea life is discovered on the district's beaches," they said.

"We report all dead aquatic mammals to British Divers Marine Life Rescue, who collect the remains."

Members of the public were advised "not to attempt to move any stranded sea life and to keep dogs and children away from them, as they may have infectious or transferable diseases".
https://news.sky.com/story/thousands...rgate-13082214