A BOOK detailing the story of more than 140 whales stranded on a beach near Dunbar more than 60 years ago has been released.

STRANDED: The Whales at Thorntonloch in 1950. The Stories of the People who Were There, by Dr James Herring, has been published by Dunbar and District History Society.

Dr Herring looked at press reports of the stranding of 147 whales to the east of the town and also spoke with 30 people from all over the county and elsewhere, who went to see the whales.

Dr Herring said: “I had an article in the Courier in October asking for people to contact me if they’d been to see the whales and I got a great response.

“I was also contacted by people via the Lost Dunbar Facebook site.”

The book’s final chapter looks at why whales get stranded.

Dr Herring added: “This was something that attracted hundreds of people and it tells us much about society in Britain in 1950.

“For example, many people walked or cycled to Thorntonloch, as very few people had a car or could not afford the bus fare.

“Also, only a small minority of people had cameras in 1950, so few photographs of the event survive, although I was given some photographs by Courier readers and they are in the book, along with press photographs.

“There were no mobile phones or internet then and people heard of the event by word of mouth.”

The book is published by Dunbar and District History Society and publication was sponsored by Community Windpower through its BeGreen office, in Dunbar.

A spokesperson for Community Windpower added: “We are delighted to sponsor this fascinating book, which describes the event but also the observations, feelings and behaviour of people who went to see the whales.”

All profits from the book go to the history society and will be used to fund another oral history project on Dunbar’s outdoor pools and beaches in the 1950s.

However, there are still questions which remain unanswered.

Dr Herring told the Courier scientists still did not know exactly why pilot whales strand in such numbers.

He added: “The whales were discovered by two boys, James and John McCallum, who lived at Thorntonloch and whose father was a gardener there.

“I have not been able to contact the two boys, who would now be in their 70s, so if any readers know of the McCallum brothers’ whereabouts, I’d love to find out and interview them.

“People can contact me at herring39@gmail.com or phone me on 01368 864613.”

The book, which costs £7.99, is available from BeGreen Dunbar, Dunbar Town House, Dunbar Lifeboat shop (£1 donation to RNLI here) and other shops in the town.

Also available online from whalesbook.wordpress.com