Marine experts have been left scratching their heads after the bodies of more than 200 dead crabs were found mysteriously washed up on a beach.
Dozens of crustaceans were found by walkers strolling along the banks of a river in Suffolk.
Wildlife experts believe the gruesome find along the River Orwell in Suffolk may be the result of the shellfish being dumped at sea.
Jamie Townshend, 26, was having a lunchtime stroll along the beach when he stumbled across the huge mass of dead crabs.
He said: “At first I just saw one dead crab but then when I went to look closer I saw piles upon piles of them scattered the whole way across the beach.
“I went over to the water but I couldn’t see any water contamination.
“I’ve never seen anything like that before.”
Jamie said the crabs appeared to have been in good health before they died.
He said: “They didn’t look like they were falling to pieces or anything, they looked pretty healthy”.
Wildlife project developer, Jason Alexander, said he counted over 200 dead crabs along the river near Ipswich, Suffolk.
He said: “I found them during one of my regular river cleans along this stretch of the river Orwell.
“Initially I counted over 200 whole carbs as well as two piles of just the claws.
“I noticed some of the claws had elastic bands wrapped around them.
“So it then became obviously that they had been dumped in my opinion.”
In a video that Jason filmed after he had found the crabs he said: “Somebody has dumped hundreds of crabs.
“It’s absolutely disgusting.
“What a waste.”
The founder of a group of nature enthusiasts, the Ravenswood Wildlife Reserve, said: “I think if they have bands on they must of been dumped.
“Experts seem to think hypothermia may be the cause. It may also be the natural life cycles of the crabs ending or due to unusually high spring tides.”
Geoffrey Dyball from the Ipswich Maritime Trust said: “We have absolutely no idea what caused this.
“There’s a lot more investigation to be done because it’s very strange.”
by Isabella Nikolic