THOUSANDS of fish have been killed in the wake of a pig slurry spill last week.
The slurry entered Farlington Beck, North Yorkshire, on Wednesday afternoon.
Later, it moved into the River Foss and killed thousands of fish, including trout, chub and perch as it made its way to York.
City of York Council said that the pollution was the result of some "overzealous muckspreading" by a local farmer.
An Environment Agency spokesman said yesterday the pollution was now in the Foss basin. However, the slurry is expected to enter the River Ouse today, when it will become so diluted it will be harmless.
He said: "Quite a lot of fish have been killed. We have seen the worst but we are still on alert."
Most of the fish deaths have occurred in the upper stretch of the Foss between Farlington and Strensall.
Warm weather and sunshine over the weekend helped by adding oxygen to the water and dispersing the slurry.
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