Probe under way into fish deaths

Dead fish were seen floating on the surface of the canal

An investigation is under way after the deaths of thousands of fish on the Rochdale Canal in Greater Manchester.

The dead fish were first spotted in Failsworth on Saturday and since then 4,000 dead fish have been recovered.

The pollution has also meant the loss of rare plant life and Environment Agency experts are testing the water to see what is causing the damage.

A one-and-a-half-mile stretch of the canal, from the Causeway at Bradgate to the locks at Failsworth, is affected.

The Environment Agency says there has also been discolouration to aquatic plants, suggesting a chemical substance in the water.

The dead fish include roach, perch and pike.

Investigators have taken water samples and removed dead fish for analysis.

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Pollution killed thousands of fish in the Rochdale canal