SALMON have returned to a polluted river for the first time in living memory.

A juvenile Atlantic salmon has been spotted in Lumley Park Burn, three years after the first evidence of spawning was found on the river.

The waterway, which begins in Hetton-le-Hole and flows through Fencehouses before entering the River Wear at Chester-le-Street, was previously affected by chronic industrial pollution from the area’s coal mines, landfill sites and coke works.

Paul Atkinson, project officer at Wear Rivers Trust said, ‘Water quality in the burn has improved greatly in the last few years, with major industrial and urban pollution issues being tackled.

“The fact that an iconic Atlantic salmon is now resident indicates that the burn is capable of sustaining a viable population”.

Since 2012, the Wear Rivers Trust have been working with the Environment Agency, Northumbrian Water, Durham County Council and Northumberland Rivers Trust to build fish passes to help fish reach important habitats upstream.

Before the passes were built, there were no trout or salmon found in the burn at all, but now the first juvenile salmon has been seen, it demonstrates water and habitat quality is able to sustain populations.

Trust volunteer Olivia Lamb said: “It makes me so happy to know that salmon are finally able to re-enter Lumley Park Burn, it’s great to see that all efforts to improve the burns health is working.

“It’s wonderful to watch how projects progress with time and it’s a rewarding process knowing that I’m helping to protect and restore the environment”.

Fellow volunteer Ali Carpenter, added, ‘I have lived in the Chester-le-Street area all my life and the river and its feeder streams have always fascinated me.

“It was a huge privilege to be present when the salmon was found.

“It’s a moment I shall always treasure”.

Over the coming months, the trust plans to conmtinue work to improve fish passage, water quality and river habitats along the length of the burn after securing funding from the Environmental Agency, Sunderland City Council New Wear Crossing Project and Parr Petroleum.

The evidence of salmon at Lumley Park Burn is the latest evidence of the species returning to County Durham’s rivers.

Earlier this month, it emerged that salmon had been found in the River Derwent at Shotley Bridge for the first time in 300 years.

The Wear Rivers Trust is working on a number of projects throughout County Durham and Sunderland at any one time and relies on local individuals and organisations to get involved with practical conservation tasks and monitoring.

Anyone wishing to help with future Wear Rivers Trust projects can call 01388 488867 for more details.