Mystery surrounds the death of tens of thousands of crabs washed up on part of Kent's coastline.

Piles of the stricken creatures littering the foreshore at low tide have been spotted by Thanet beach goers.

The unusual find has sparked an investigation by the Environment Agency.

A spokesman said: "It may be that they have perished in the extreme cold weather.

"However, the deaths could also be caused by a mystery virus that has only attacked this particular species, the velvet swimming crab, in this part of the Kent coast."