Chemicals suspected as dead fish spotted in stream

Water quality campaigners have said they suspect a chemical spill after dead fish were reported in a stream.

Residents in Bransgore, Hampshire, reported blue-grey coloured water in Sopley Brook on Tuesday.

New Forest Water Watch, a volunteer group that carries out water testing, said it believed the pollution was chemical-related, rather than sewage or oil.

The Environment Agency confirmed it was investigating and said officers had taken samples for testing.

Water Watch co-ordinator Gill Hickman said, by the time she arrived at the stream on Tuesday morning, most of the blue colour in the river had gone.

She said: "There was one area that was still slightly blue. It was a continuous grey-blue haze.

"We did quite a lot of testing. We tested for nitrates, phosphates and ammonia.

"Ammonia indicates fresh sewage, and it was zero.

"Nitrates and and phosphates were also negligible. We also took a sample for E.coli.

"It didn't look like oil because oil produces rainbow colours on the surface, so this is a chemical spill."

An Environment Agency spokesperson said: "Our officers are investigating a suspected pollution incident at Sopley Brook, and have attended the site to take samples."