Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Wales Online
Wales Online
National
Zhara Simpson & Lorna Hughes

More than 100 fish found dead in mile-long stretch of polluted river

More than 100 fish have died in a polluted river. The issue - suspected to have been from an agricultural source - is affecting a 2km stretch.

The Environment Agency has launched an investigation and said 114 roach and 1 chub fish have died following the incident. It said it has switched off a nearby pumping station in a bid to "contain the pollution."

The pollution is across a 2km stretch of the Kings Moor Drain in Somerset, Somerset Live reports. The source of the pollution is yet to be identified, but the team remains on site to assess the situation.

The Environment Agency said: "We’ve attended a pollution incident near Langport following reports from the public about many dead fish. We are now carrying out an investigation & assessing the impact on the King's Moor Main Drain. If you spot pollution please call our incident hotline number on 0800 80 70 60."

A spokesperson later said: "The Environment Agency is carrying out an investigation into the cause of the pollution that has affected a 2 km stretch of the King’s Moor Drain, near Long Load, upstream of Langport.

"The pollution is suspected to have been from an agricultural source, but as yet a specific source has not been identified. The discharge, which was apparently responsible for the death of around 114 roach and 1 chub, is no longer occurring but our officers remain on site assessing the situation."

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.