Firm owner fined for diesel spill

The owner of a building firm has been fined £1,000 for polluting a Cornwall river with diesel fuel.

John Chapman, of Abbey Builders in Carnon Downs, near Truro, admitted polluting nearly one mile of a River Carnon tributary.

The spill was traced upstream to the firm's building yard.

Camborne Magistrates found him guilty of failing to alert the Environment Agency of the spill and incorrectly storing fuel.

Mr Chapman said the spill occurred when he had been filling a truck with diesel and was distracted by a phone call.

He was ordered to pay £800 costs.