Hundreds of worms have been found dead at a river overnight.

Dogwalkers were shocked to see piles of earthworms at the bank of the Cuckmere River at the village of Litlington near Seaford yesterday.

There was a spring tide overnight which caused the water to flow over the river’s banks. Sussex Wildlife Trust said this flooding of salt water could have proved lethal.

There were downpours of heavy rain last night which the trust said would have caused the worms to come to the surface before the floodwater came down.