Hundreds of fish killed in 'pollution incident'
BBCAn investigation has been launched after hundreds of dead fish were found in a Cornish river.
The Environment Agency (EA) said it received reports at 17:45 BST on Thursday of the incident in St Austell River, known locally as the White River.
EA officials said hundreds of fish including trout, eels and brook lamprey had been killed in a "pollution incident" in the river stretching from St Austell down to the coast at Pentewan. It added the incident had been stopped on Thursday night.
A no swim warning had been issued by the EA at nearby Pentewan designated bathing water area, but the warning has since been lifted.
An EA spokesperson said: "Our officers returned to site first thing this morning and will be completing a thorough investigation.
"This will be used as evidence for any regulatory action that is required."
The designated bathing area is at Pentewan beach, which is privately owned by the Pentewan Sands Holiday Park.
EA said the beach was about 1.1km (0.7 miles) wide and its water quality has been rated as excellent every year from 2021 to 2024.
James Mustoe, Cornwall councillor for Mevagissey and St Austell Bay, said the situation was quite upsetting and worrying for the local community.
He said: "We've spent a lot of time working to improve the environment in the Pentewan Valley and into Pentewan.
"I don't want to speculate on what the causes are, but something has happened clearly and it's really disrupted that ecosystem."
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