PEOPLE in Christchurch are being urged not to pour toxic substances down their drains after more than 50 fish were killed by pollution.

Christchurch Borough Council, the Environment Agency and Wessex Water have now joined forces to issue a warning to people about the dangers after the fish were found in Bure Brook, Highcliffe last week.

Residents noticed the stream had turned white and reported sensing a creosote-like smell to the Environment Agency, which managed to track the source of the substance to near Smugglers Road North.

As the outfall belongs to Wessex Water, its Streamclean team was called in and was able to trace the odour to the highway drain, where there were visible signs of pollution, which could be dealt with by the council’s highways team.

Robin Harley, countryside officer at Christchurch council, said: “Around 50 fish were found to have died from this pollution.

“This incident shows how a thoughtless act can have very damaging consequences to wildlife some distance away.”

Clare-Marie Dobing, from Wessex Water, added: “Wessex Water takes incidents of pollution in its sewerage system very seriously and has a team dedicated to identifying unauthorised substances and minimising the impact they have on water courses and livestock.

“Anyone found to have released such substances into the sewerage system is liable for prosecution.”

Investigations are still trying to identify the substance concerned.

Any pollution incidents can be reported to the Environment Ag-ency’s 24hr hotline, 0800 80 70 60.