More than 100,000 fish have been killed after insecticide entered a Lincolnshire river, the Environment Agency said last night.
Pollution tore through a 13-mile stretch of the River, killing brown trout, dace, perch, pike, roach, tench and eels. Investigators believe a powerful insecticide called Cypermethrim was released into the surface water drains of an industrial site in nearby Sleaford.
The EA’s John Giles said: “This is one of the most severe river pollution incidents in Lincolnshire in living memory.
“What makes this case particularly sad is that it could have been easily avoided had procedures for the storage and movement of potentially dangerous chemicals been followed properly.”
It is believed the chemical was released into the watercourse on February 15 or 16. The agency confirmed a prosecution is being considered.
“We will continue to do what we can to bring this stretch of the River Slea back to life,” added Mr Giles.
“That will include a programme of survey work which will let us know when invertebrate life has returned sufficiently to sustain fish re-stocking.”
