Why ARE hundreds of crabs washing up dead? Dog walkers are warned to stay off beaches as experts test crustaceans for disease

• Scores of dead crabs found washed up at Seaton Carew beach in Hartlepool
• Environment Agency has confirmed samples have been taken from the crabs
• Lab analysis will see if pollution was cause and also test dead crabs for disease

An investigation is under way after hundreds of dead crabs washed up on a beach in Hartlepool.        

Residents and visitors were left shocked after the dead crustaceans began to appear at Seaton Carew beach, which lies along the Tees Bay, earlier this month.

The Environment Agency has confirmed samples have been taken from the crabs, water and sediment for laboratory analysis to see if pollution was the cause.

The lab analysis will also be used to test the dead crabs for disease.

Dog walkers are now being warned to stay off neighbouring beaches along the Tees Estuary which have also been been affected. 

Local resident Carl Clyne, 42, said he first spotted the scores of dead crabs while walking his dog along Seaton Carew beach on October 6.

He told the Hartlepool Mail: 'There were dead crabs in every rock pool and quite a lot of them along the water line among the sea weed.

'I walk down there quite a lot, I've never seen that before.'

Following the scenes former Redcar MP Anna Turley took to Twitter to write: 'What is going on? This is getting apocalyptic.'

Meanwhile Conservative MP Jacob Young told the Northern Echo: '(It's) deeply worrying that this seems to be continuing on our coastline.

 'I have raised it with Ministers and will continue to, until cause is identified.'

A Environment Agency spokesman said: 'Samples of water, sediment, mussel and crab have been collected and are being sent to our labs for analysis, to consider whether a pollution incident could have contributed to the deaths of the animals.'

Anyone who sees pollution affecting wildlife is asked to call the Environment Agency on 0800 807060.