An investigation has been launched after hundreds of dead starfish appeared along the Sussex coastline.

Environment Agency officials say they do not know what could have killed the starfish which have been washed up at sites along Brighton beach.

Tonight the agency said it was sending a team of investigators to the shoreline to try to determine what has wiped out the creatures.

The agency does not believe the deaths were linked to the recent storms because groups of dead starfish had begun appearing in Kent days before the bad weather started.

It has also ruled out pollution or anything to do with climate change as the cause but said it could be a result of fishing techniques.

One theory being considered is that the starfish have been disturbed on the sea bed while feeding and have either been washed up or discarded by fishermen on the shore following mussel dredging.

Another idea is that the starfish had run out of mussels to eat and had moved into shallow water in the search for food.

An Environment Agency spokesman said: "We have sent two environment officers to the seaside to investigate what has happened with the starfish.

"Starfish congregate in vast numbers in some areas and feed on shellfish, so if the seabed was dredged then the starfish would inevitably have been caught in huge numbers."

The agency said the starfish bodies are not harmful and will probably be eaten over the next few days by seagulls.

People have told how crowds gathered along the seafront to inspect the "carpet" of colourful starfish.

Mia Soar, 27, of Alfred Road, Brighton, was walking along the seafront when she noticed the starfish by Brighton's Palace Pier.

She said: "From a distance I though I saw a seagull pick a starfish up and then drop it.

"I then went closer to the beach and it was littered with starfish."

Henry Knight, 25, of Bloomsbury Street, Brighton, said: "I was running along the seafront when I saw hundreds of them on the beach.

"I didn't know what it was so went over to have a look and couldn't believe when I saw it was loads of starfish.

"I thought they must have been washed onto the pebbles by the recent bad weather.

"Lots of people were looking at them and in some places it was like a carpet of starfish."

Members of the public can report any further incidents by calling the Environment Agency's hotline on 0800 807060.

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