Unraveling the mystery of the 77 beached whales

It is a scene of horrific destruction: a stretch of pristine white sand strewn with the lifeless bodies of dozens of whales. In total, 77 carcasses lie strewn across the beach - a whole family group. Among them are young, barely a year old, adult females and a seven-metre-long adult male. Even dead, they are beautiful creatures.

The horrific row of bodies is the result of the largest mass stranding in Britain in a century - described as "heartbreaking" even by seasoned whale conservationists.

Few could remain unmoved by the scale of the tragedy, which is compounded by a further ...