Fishermen's 'toxic liquid' worry

Anglers are worried about possible future fish kills

A disused dump once used by a County Antrim council is threatening fish stocks in local streams and rivers, anglers have warned.

Fishermen say toxic liquid has been streaming from the base of a disused landfill into ditches and streams around the River Inver near Larne.

The landfill closed because it was illegal to dump household waste there.

The Environment and Heritage Service, part of the DOE, said it had no immediate concerns about the site.

It said staff would carry out detailed investigations and acknowledged that the lagoon of liquid on the site was potentially a source of pollution.

The anglers had been set to use a £64,000 European Union investment to restock the river after previous serious fish kills when the possible pollution was discovered.

Potentially toxic liquid has been leaking from the landfill site

David Kernohan of the Larne and District Game Anglers Association said the discovery was a setback to their attempts to create new spawning areas in the river.

"It's just a real blow to find out, after all the pollution we have had in the river, that we have another potentially very serious pollution point here," he said.

They have attempted to collect some of the liquid in a lagoon.

As the site was not properly protected before dumping began, any toxic leak could be a threat to the area for decades.

BBC Northern Ireland environment correspondent Mike McKimm said this was "one reason why Europe wants to see an end to all landfill sites".

He added: "Ironically, plans have just been put forward to operate a new landfill site in the same quarry."