Pollution concerns raised after dead fish discovered in West Norfolk drain

A number of dead fish were spotted in a drain in a West Norfolk village at the weekend, raising questions regarding pollution.

Environment Agency (EA) officials attended the incident, after the fish were seen in the Gravel Bank Drain between St Germans and Islington on Saturday.

William Coppin, of Lynn, said this is not the first time that this has happened.

Mr Coppin said: “It’s happening too often and very big fish have been lost.”

He said he had notified the Environment Agency, and they are now trying to establish why it has happened.

“No one knows what the cause is – it could be the hot weather or pollution,” Mr Coppin added.

Roach, small bream and pike were among the dead fish, he said, but it was difficult to estimate how many had died as some had since been eaten by gulls.

Mr Coppin, who used to live next to the river, said there had been a number of other occasions similar to this, but some had been “specimen fish”. He said the issue needed to be brought to the attention of the fishing community.

“Anglers need to know what’s going on,” he added.

A spokesman for the EA said: “We were contacted by a member of the public on the evening of Saturday, August 11, who reported that a number of dead fish had been seen in the Gravel Bank Drain at Tilney cum Islington.

“Environment Agency officers attended early on Sunday morning but no dead fish were seen.

“The officers spoke to the member of the public who had reported the incident and spent time at the site, testing oxygen levels in the water.

“It was found that any pollution incident had passed, and that oxygen levels were at an acceptable level.”

Elsewhere in West Norfolk, residents have complained to the authority about litter being “dumped” in waterways.

Those who live near to the Magdalen Bridge relief channel have had “just about enough” of this issue, one resident said.

Trevor Johns claimed the village has become “littered” due youngsters purchasing food and drink and throwing the litter en route.

The Lynn News spoke with the parish council who said they had contacted EA on the issue.

However, a spokesman for the EA said they were “not aware of a specific litter problem”.