Eight-mile 'fuel slick' off coast

The Menai Bridge (pictured) and the Britannia Bridge span the water

An eight-mile fuel slick has been spotted in an environmentally sensitive area off the north Wales coast.

Coastguards received the first sightings on Sunday morning from yachts in the Menai Strait, which separates Anglesey from the mainland.

Boats were urged to stay away from the area and people were warned not to go into the water.

The Marine and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is trying to trace the source and identify it, with the help of aircraft.

If required we will take the necessary steps to deal with it Environment Agency

At first, the slick was said to cover about four miles, between Port Dinorwic and the Britannia Bridge.

But the Environment Agency said later that a "thin film" of pollution stretched from Bangor to Caernarfon - almost the entire length of the strait and a distance of about eight miles.

An agency spokeswoman said: "We do not know the extent or the source, or what the pollution is.

"We have been out with the Coastguard Agency to look at it. There's a thin film so we are trying to assess that."

The Menai Strait runs between Anglesey and the mainland

She added: "If required we will take the necessary steps to deal with it."

The MCA said it had not been confirmed that it was diesel.

Surveillance plane

"An investigation has been started and it looks like the source might be coming from the mainland," said an MCA spokeswoman.

"At this stage we cannot give an idea of how serious a pollution incident this is."

The MCA described it as a "particularly sensitive environmental area". It received initial reports of pollution "in the nature of a large diesel slick" at 0815 BST.

The local coastguard sent a rescue team to investigate and informed the MCA.

Barry Priddis, of Holyhead Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre, said it was working with the Environment Agency, the local council and the Countryside Council for Wales to try to find the source of the pollution and clean it up.

An MCA surveillance plane and a Sea King helicopter from RAF Valley on Anglesey are flying over the area.

Mr Priddis said it was not known if there was a risk to health, but advised people not to go into the water south of the Menai Strait.

Beaumaris RNLI inshore lifeboat was used to urge small boats and yachts to keep away from the area.