It caused seagulls to flock to the area.
East Lothian locals were left shocked after hundreds of starfish washed up on a popular beach. The mass stranding at Belhaven Bay, near Dunbar, was spotted on Monday after several seagulls appeared to be attracted to the area.
Branding it a “starfish catastrophe”, one resident took to social media to share the unusual sight.
Video footage shows the creatures tightly packed together, lying on the sand at the shoreline for as far as the eye can see.
The man added: “A seagull feeding frenzy caught my attention on the beach. On closer inspection it became clear what it was they were eating.”
The starfish were tightly packed together.(Image: Rich Taylor)
Others replied with their concerns about the smell, adding the seagulls had been given a “feast”.
Cases like this usually occur when rough waters and strong winds – often caused by storms – dislodge starfish from their habitat on the sea bed.
This leads to “starballing”, where they curl up to float with the current, making them vulnerable to beach strandings.
Experts coined the term in 2016 after observing starfish change their location.
Sadly, they can only survive out of water for a matter of minutes.
Dr Lyndsey Dodds, oceans recovery policy manager at WWF Scotland, previously said: “When large numbers of starfish are found washed up on beaches it’s typically the result of storm activity.
“We know climate change means we are experiencing more frequent storms, so we may see increasing impacts on marine life. If the starfish remain submerged, they can survive and can be carried back out to sea with the incoming tide.
“Unfortunately, many are likely to have been exposed for too long or sustained damage, meaning survival is unlikely.”
