River Frome tributary turns neon BLUE – urgent investigation after ‘pollution incident’

The Environment Agency started investigating the stream feeding into the River Frome in the Somerset town of Frome on Friday. There are currently no reports of any dead wildlife, according to the Environment Agency, which has taken samples for testing over the weekend. The Environment watchdog said: “We are investigating a pollution incident near Frome that has turned a tributary of the River Frome bright blue.

“There are no reports of wildlife in distress or dead.

“Samples have been taken for testing.

“We will continue to monitor the stream over the weekend.”

Test results are expected on Monday.

Earlier this month, the Environment Agency revealed about 10,000 fish were killed by an agricultural pollutant in the River Mole, South Molton.

The Environment Agency said the source of the chemical-based pollutant which impacted 5km (3.1 mile) of a river had been identified. 

They described it as the “largest ever fish kill in Devon and Cornwall”.

The agency’s officers visited the scene after a member of the public reported seeing the fish.

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They took samples and gathered evidence, telling Devon Live: “One of our fisheries officers who attended the scene, who has 30 years’ experience, said he couldn’t remember so many fish killed in one incident.” 

Thousands of fish also died in the River Sheppey in Somerset  this month after a pollution spill.

According to the Environment Agency, a 10-mile (15km) stretch of the river was affected by pollution.

Witnesses at the site said they saw “hundreds” of dead fish floating on the river’s surface.

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However, the Environment Agency said they could not confirm exact numbers of dead fish.

Pictures of the river showed fish gasping for oxygen as the water was polluted.

Pollutants killed fish at the town of Godney, near Glastonbury, causing them to float to the surface of the river.

Workers from the Environment Agency sprayed hydrogen peroxide – a chemical disinfectant – to decontaminate the river.

Officials said they also used ‘flo balls’ to pump the river with jets of water to aerate it.

Flo balls create pockets of water in the river which allow fish to breathe, while officials investigate the cause of the pollution.

The Environment Agency (EA) was established in 1996 to protect and improve the environment. 

source: express.co.uk