Inquiry after river turned blue

Belstead Brook, near Ipswich, has been polluted with a dye or ink

An investigation has started after three miles of rivers in Suffolk turned blue after being polluted.

The Environment Agency said the incident has affected the River Brett in Hadleigh and the Belstead Brook at Ipswich.

The Agency is appealing for help from anyone who has had ink or dye - possibly several thousand gallons - collected to be disposed of.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Environment Agency.

"Fortunately the colouring has not caused any problems for plants, animals, or fish in the rivers and is not a health risk, but is still a serious pollution incident," said an Environment Agency spokeswoman.

Working with Anglian Water, Environment Agency officers traced the source of the dye in the River Brett in Hadleigh through the drainage system to a surface water drain on the Lady Lane Industrial Estate.

It is thought that a tanker may have emptied the polluting liquid illegally into the manhole at the beginning of the week.