Margate: Dead starfish likely due to rough seas, says council

Thanet District Council says the mass stranding is likely to have been caused by recent rough seas and onshore winds

Dead starfish washed up on a beach are likely to have been deposited by rough seas and onshore winds, a council has said.

Thanet District Council urged people to stay away from the stranded sea life on Margate beach which it said "may have infectious" diseases.

One dog walker described seeing "hundreds and hundreds" earlier between the Winter Gardens and the lido.

A marine conservation analyst said common starfish may be "prone" to this.

Dr Angus Jackson, a data analyst at the Marine Conservation Society, said they sometimes "fold up their arms and roll along the sea floor".

He said the mass stranding was likely due to stormy conditions out at sea, adding: "Strandings like this occasionally happen right around our coastline, but this looks to be a particularly large event."

Thanet District Council said members of the public should not go near the starfish due to the risk of disease

Local resident Heide Theune said: "I was on a dog walk [on Tuesday morning]... and I took the first photo where there are not so many dead starfish and was really sad, when I turned to see hundreds and hundreds of them.

"I walk my dog down here often but haven't seen anything like this before."

The council said: "Members of the public are 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."

It said it had reported the incident to the Environment Agency, the Kent Marine Protected Area Management Group and British Divers Marine Life Rescue, which collect the remains.

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