A popular beach in the South West transformed into a scene out of Stranger Things after hundreds of mysterious creatures washed ashore.
Locals visiting Studland Bay, Dorset, came across hundreds of otter shell clams littered across the sands. So mysterious and unusual was the sight that people compared it to a scene out of the Netflix series
While the sight was unusual, the reality was rather more tragic as it was thought that the clams were washed up because of recent storms sweeping across the UK.
A spokesperson for the National Trust Purbeck Countryside explained the phenomenon, how it might have occurred, and what people should do about it.
They said: “Stranger things on our shores. As well as a shipwreck, there have been some seriously strange things washing up on our beaches over the last few weeks.
“But the weirdest must be the masses of otter shell clams. These bivalves normally live buried deep beneath the seabed, using their siphons to filter plankton and algae from the water.”
A group of strange creatures washed up on a Dorset beach (Image: Jam Press/National Trust Purbeck Countryside)
However, they explained that recent weather systems had forced them ashore for the first time in such great numbers since 2018.
They expanded: “The recent easterly winds have whipped up waves powerful enough to scour the seabed and lift these creatures out of their hiding places. Many were dead.
“We were advised that they are unlikely to survive even if returned to the sea. A Dorset Wildlife Trust marine expert told us that the last dramatic event like this was in 2018.
“He estimated these clams to be around seven years old based on the growth rings on their shells. So the population had recovered since the previous washout.”
An otter shell clam (Image: Jam Press/National Trust Purbeck Countryside)
Some locals responded with sadness to the events, with one Julie Goward remarking: “Sad to see, hope the numbers recover again.”
The tragedy comes as the UK continues to be battered by a seemingly unending period of rain. In a statement, the Met Office said there might be a brief respite over the weekend before a return to cloudier conditions.
They said: “The forecast for Saturday suggests that high pressure will remain largely in charge of the conditions, leading to a rainless day for many with the prospect of sunshine.
“From Sunday, there is an anticipated return to more Atlantic-dominated conditions as a weather front sweeps in from the west, bringing rain, strong winds and snow across some northern areas.”