ENVIRONMENT chiefs are celebrating after a breed of fish, very choosy about the quality of water they live in, were found to be alive and well in the River Darwen.

The discovery of the brown trout came as officials from the Environment Agency carried out a survey of the river in a bid to improve water quality.

A member of the salmon family, the trout prefer fresh clear water, not something the River Darwen has been noted for, having been subject to pollution for much of the last century.

Environment bosses are now hoping the improved river quality will help them re-establish a healthy fish population.

Other species found in the water during the survey, which involved using an electric current to stun the fish, included gudgeon, eels, bullheads and other minor fish.

Stephen Whittam, team leader for fisheries, science and management at the Environment Agency said: "The effect man has had on the River Darwen has been nothing other than catastrophic in the quest to keep up with the Industrial Revolution.

"Brown trout are normally associated with pristine mountain streams rather than sewers, which is what the River Darwen has been turned into in recent times.

"Monday's survey was a good indicator that the quality of water in the river is OK for fish, provided we don't keep getting major pollution which we have had over the last three or four years."

He said they could not estimate the number of trout in the river.