Hundreds of fish dead after temperatures rise

Volunteers have pulled 173 lbs (78 kg) of dead fish out of a park pond after a hike in water temperatures.

Residents spotted hundreds of the fish floating on the surface of the pond at Rossmere Park, Hartlepool.

The Environment Agency (EA) found no evidence of pollution, and said the fish had died due to the impact of rising water temperatures on dissolved oxygen in the water.

Labour MP Jonathan Brash said he was "really upset" to see the pictures of the dead fish and hoped to find ways to prevent it from happening again.

The EA ran tests along the watercourse but found no evidence it had been polluted.

A spokesman said the prolonged dry weather combined with "stagnant water flow and increased water temperatures" led to a drop in the dissolved oxygen in the water, which killed the fish.

Hartlepool Borough Councillor Quewone Bailey-Fleet said that three local men removed the dead fish from the pond and have now committed to volunteering long-term to help maintain it.

Mr Brash met with the council and Environment Agency teams at the pond.

He said: "They're currently aerating the water to boost oxygen levels and are testing the water quality.

"The initial view is that the recent hot weather reduced oxygen levels and increased ammonia - a dangerous mix for the fish.

"The good news is there's still a living fish population in the pond, and we've now moved into the recovery phase."

Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.