Oxygen pumped into castle moat to save fish

Oxygen was pumped into a castle moat after reports of fish in distress, the Environment Agency has said.

Officers from the authority were called to Kirby Muxloe Castle in Leicestershire on 30 August and found a "very low" dissolved oxygen level in the moat.

English Heritage, which oversees the castle, said oxygen pumps were used for about two weeks to help the fish.

A spokesperson for English Heritage said the Environment Agency "suggested that hot weather followed by thunderstorms may have contributed to low oxygen levels".

"Following reports of fish in distress in the moat at Kirby Muxloe Castle, English Heritage alerted the Kirby Muxloe 87 fishing club and the Environment Agency," the spokesperson added.

"Working together, the club and Environment Agency used pumps to oxygenate the water.

"Following around two weeks of intervention, oxygen levels have improved.

"We are grateful to all involved for their efforts to protect the fish."

English Heritage added the intervention came to an end last week and that it was monitoring the situation along with the fishing club.

During hot and sunny weather, water warms and its capacity to "hold adequate levels of oxygen reduces", the Environment Agency said.

"Intense summer thunderstorms" can also cause pollutants from nearby land to run into watercourses, further reducing oxygen levels, it added.

A spokesperson said: "We attended this incident on the 30 August following a report of distressed fish at the fishery.

"On arrival, the dissolved oxygen level was very low, so officers deployed water aeration equipment to increase levels and alleviate distress, helping to save the fish."

The castle moat is open to the public but to fish there, you must be a member of the Kirby Muxloe 87 fishing club, English Heritage said.

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