SEA experts have been left baffled after thousands of starfish washed up on a Scots beach.
The five-pointed creatures were discovered by wild swimmers at Wardie Bay in Granton, Edinburgh, yesterday morning.
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Thousands of starfish washed up on the beach in EdinburghCredit: Alan Simpson
They were discovered at Wardie BayCredit: Alan Simpson
They took some of the marine critters back into the sea in a bid to save them.
The beach-goers were left “shocked” by the discovery.
Many of the underwater beasts had sadly died on the shores in the Scottish capital after being thrown from the water.
One of the swimmers, Hannah Foster, 27, told of their attempts to help the stranded pink invertebrates.
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She told BBC Scotland: “It was really sad and bizarre to see them all washed up and tangled in the seaweed, there were so many.
“It was so cold last night that half of them were all frozen and dead.
“We did a short swim and took some with us that looked like they still had colour in a bid to save them.
“I don’t know if it would have done anything but you always have to try in these situations.”
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Marine biologists are keen to find out why thousands of the seabed dwellers ended up beached on the sands of Wardie Bay.
Starfish are often dislodged by stormy weather and end up on the shore.
If they don’t get back into the water soon then they can die of exposure.
Boffins also believe the recent drop in temperatures could have dislodged them from the seabed and caused the mass beaching.
Scotland has recently seen a freezing start to winter, with sub-zero temperatures taking hold.
Dr Alasdair O’Dell, a marine biologist at the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) added: “There are a number of factors to consider when events like this occur, so there’s no sure way of knowing what caused it without a thorough investigation.
“However, stormy weather and the recent rapid change in temperature could have been contributing factors.”
In September we told how thousands of Starfish washed up on a beach in Kirkcaldy, Fife.
Locals described the bizarre sight as “something from a disaster movie”.
Sea experts are keen to find out what caused the mass beachingCredit: Alan Simpson