Pollution toll rises to 100,000 fish

Pollution in the River Dee has killed thousands of fish

The Environment Agency is now estimating that more than 100,000 fish were killed by the pollution incident in the River Dee in north Wales two weeks ago.

The agency initially estimated that 10,000 might have been killed.

Tests carried out on stretches of the river point to chemical contamination as the likely cause.

Officials believe it will take years for fish stocks to recover from the disaster.

The tests involved surveys of the affected stretch of the River Dee and comparisons of current fish stocks with previously recorded figures.

Meanwhile, investigators are appealing for the public's help in tracing the source of the pollution.

The agency has investigated agricultural and commercial buildings along the river to see if any chemicals or waste may have escaped or been dumped.

It has yet to identify the cause of the incident.

The River Dee suffered a major pollution incident several years ago.

Since then the river has been the subject of close monitoring.

Samples taken

Last Saturday night the Environment Agency was contacted by members of the public with reports of dead fish, frogs and eels in the border areas of Bangor on Dee and Holt.

They spent much of Saturday night and Sunday afternoon taking samples of the water.

The people who regularly use this stretch of river say any pollution incident causes concern but the scale of this latest is alarming.

Water supplies are not thought to be affected but it could still be some time before the pollutant is completely flushed out.