5 top tips on how to deal with stranded starfish

We asked staff from the Blue Reef to come up with their top tips on what to do with the animals.

It comes after city council leader Donna Jones tweeted a picture of the stricken starfish.

1. Wear sturdy shoes and be careful of your footing on the wet rocks so that you don’t slip or fall.

2. Keep an eye on the tide and the waves. The sea is still looking quite rough and can change at any time so be sure to keep watching the waves so you don’t get caught in them.

3. When you find a starfish always give it a little wiggle first before picking it up. Starfish have very delicate feet and they will use these to stick onto rocks so giving them a gentle wiggle will release their feet from what they have attached themselves to.

4. When throwing the starfish back into the sea be sure to throw them as far but as gently as possible.

5. Always thoroughly wash your hands with soap immediately after handling starfish or other marine life found on the beaches before you eat or drink anything.