SLURRY which killed thousands of fish in Hyndburn Brook has been traced back to its source by the Environment Agency, - who are now set to prosecute the people responsible.

The agency's press officer Steve Broughton told the Citizen: "We have found the farm we believe to be the origin of the problem.

"We can't announce which it is as we are considering a prosecution."

The spillage happened last weekend. Thousands of fish were killed - including 400 brown trout bought by Les Banner, who had spent the last five years clearing the banks of the brook which runs through his land.

He was said to be 'devastated' at the damage caused by the spill.

Five kilometres of the brook were affected, from Rishton to where it meets the river Calder.

People were later seen taking the dead fish from the riverbanks, but the agency has warned that they are contaminated and should not be eaten.

Investigations into the accident and its long term effects are continuing.

Steve Broughton said: "So far, it doesn't look too bad. The river is already recovering and the insect life there has not been affected, so if we reintroduce fish they will have food.

"The current has washed most of the pollution away from there but things don't look so good for the contributory stream, which the slurry travelled down to reach the brook. The invertebrate life there has been wiped out."

The agency says the cost of reintroducing fish to the river is usually footed by whoever caused the pollution, so the future of the brook will be decided by the outcome of the prosecution if it goes ahead.

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