River pollution threat averted

The Dee supplies water for three million people

A serious incident has been averted after 20,000 litres of liquid, which threatened to pollute the River Dee was mopped up.

The whey liquid leaked from a tanker and into the surface water drains after it was involved in an accident.

In a joint operation environment bosses and local farmers blocked the estuary to prevent the liquid from spreading downstream.

The accident happened near Overton-On-Dee, Wrexham on Thursday.

The Environment Agency said a "potentially serious pollution incident was prevented".

Previous incident

Emergency services were called to the scene on Thursday afternoon after a milk tanker overturned and its driver became trapped in the vehicle.

A significant amount of the whey entered an un-named tributary of the Dee and a small amount entered the river before preventative measures were put in place.

Local farmers provided their machinery to block the small tributary and prevent further pollution.

"The help and machinery provided by several local farmers was instrumental in minimising the impact that this spill had on the River Dee," said Dave Powell from the Environment Agency.

Monitoring of the River Dee will continue for the time being.

The river is one of the most regulated and controlled in Britain.

It is important - not just for its beauty or fishing - but as a source of drinking water for nearly three million people in both north Wales and England.

Four years ago more than 100,000 fish were killed in an incident - the cause of which remains a mystery - on the River Dee in July 2000.