Ickleford: Suspected oil spill pollutes chalk stream river
BBC 2023-09-06 05:11:47 • 2 mins
By Nicola Haseler & Peter Walker
BBC News, Hertfordshire
The Environment Agency (EA) said it had found the source of an apparent oil spill in a fresh water chalk stream.
Residents in Ickleford, Hertfordshire, said they first noticed the oil slick in the River Purwell a week ago.
A former flour mill site nearby was believed to be the source of the spillage and the landowner said "remedial work has now been taken".
Resident Kane Kramer said there were no sign of animals on the river, such as swans and voles, in recent days.
"The [oil slick] has built up and built up and continued to the point that now it has devastated and scared off, or worse, all of the local wildlife," said Mr Kramer, speaking to BBC Three Counties Radio.
