Fuel spillage is wildlife threat

The Environment Agency says up to 10,000 litres of red diesel has leaked into a tributary of the River Ray in Swin-don, polluting a two-mile stretch.

Officers from the Environ-ment Agency were called to an area near the Westlea Indus-trial Estate on Sunday morning after several members of the public reported seeing a large quantity of fuel coating the surface of the water.

An investigation and a clean-up operation has been launched.

Officers from the Environ-ment Agency stretched a number of booms across the river to contain the diesel and prevent it from travelling further downstream.

Initially absorbent pads were used to try to soak up some of the spill.

Since then, contractors from Adler and Allan Oil and Environmental Services have been called in and are at the site cleaning up the diesel with a tanker.

A spokeswoman for the Environment Agency said officers were investigating the cause of the pollution, the source of which is a local industrial estate, with the help of Thames Water.

Lee Horrocks, environment officer, said: "After being alerted to this incident by members of the public, we were quickly at the scene and involved in the clean up to minimise the potential impact of the pollution."

Spokeswoman for Thames Water Hilary Bennett said: "We have been assisting the Environment Agency in trying to trace the source."

Sue and Roger Hulbert from the Swindon Swan Sanctuary have been working hard to help birds caught in the spill.

Mrs Hulbert said: "We've got a moorhen but it's really quite poorly. And I'm not sure it will survive."

And Mr Hulbert said: "We're trying to catch the swans and we've heard there are a couple of dead kingfishers.

"There was a cygnet there covered in oil and some swans but we've got a way to go to catch them."

To report a pollution incident call the Environment Agency's hotline on 0800 807060.

Gareth Bethell