STORMY weather and unusually cold temperatures have caused a significant number of dead seabirds to be washed up along the North-East coast.

Durham Wildlife Trust said staff have recovered dozens of birds in recent days, including puffins, razorbills and guillemots along the coast, including Hawthorn Dene, in County Durham.

The charity believes the birds, many of which have been emaciated, have been struggling to find food or have succumbed to exhaustion in the harsh conditions.

The RSPB has also received many reports of the same species of seabird washing up on Yorkshire beaches in recent days.

Durham Wildlife Trust director Jim Cokill said easterly winds appeared to be contributing to the tragic consequences right along the east coast between Scotland and Yorkshire.

“There’s no sign of pollution so we assume that they have been caught up in the storms along the coast in recent days,”

“Some of the birds may be from areas further to the north and have been washed south by the prevailing current.

“These things do happen from time to time in the North Sea. It’s a perilous life being a seabird and all we can do is hope for better conditions in the days and weeks to come as the breeding season gets under way.

Mr Cokill said if dozens are being found on beaches then there is likely to be hundreds of dead seabirds in the sea.

He said the weather conditions were unusual for this time of the year and that it was vitally important temperatures rise soon otherwise he expected to see more seabirds dying along the coast.

“There is nothing we can do about it and we have no idea how it will affect the populations of these birds,” he added.

“We are just going to have to wait and see if there is going to be a long term issue. We have had concerns for a long time about future and that is why we want conservation areas along the coastline.”