FISH in a council-owned lake are dying due to lack of oxygen in the water, it is claimed.

Local fishermen have taken pictures of dead fish floating on the surface over the weekend - and called in the RSPCA and the Environment Agency to help the carp and other fish in Middlesbrough's Albert Park lake, saying they will all die if something is not done.

They took photos of several dead fish floating near the surface, and fisherman Les Hodge said other fish were showing signs of lack of oxygen.

The Environment Agency confirmed it was investigating and the RSPCA was also believed to be at the park yesterday.

Mr Hodge said the aerators - or air pumps - had been switched off since January and said: "It's very disturbing to see the fish gasping for air, and now they appear to be dying.

"It isn't a very good advert for Middlesbrough Council and the park.

"The guys who fish there have made numerous requests to get some oxygen into the lake. It is stagnant so it needs oxygen pumping into the water by using aerators.

"The last time I was at the lake there were rats running across my feet. The water is stagnant and the filth attracts them.

"We have been asking for a while but we are at the point now where fish are starting to die and we are trying to stop it getting to the point where we get down one morning and find hundreds of fish there floating on the surface, dead."

Another fisherman, Lee Birch, said: "The next warm spell could spell disaster. The lady from the Environment Agency is going to recommend that... the manager of the park gets the aerators fixed and switched on asap."

The Environment Agency said today (Sunday, June 21) it had sent an officer out to monitor oxygen levels at the Albert Park lake.

It later posted on Twitter that oxygen readings were 55 to 60 per cent, which is acceptable, but planned to work with Middlesbrough Council to provide advice on the issue.

The Northern Echo was unable to contact anyone at Middlesbrough Council for comment.