Claggan River: Hundreds of fish killed in slurry spill

A major slurry spill is being investigated after fish were killed in the Claggan River in County Tyrone.

It is thought hundreds of young salmon and dollaghan, a native brown trout, have been killed in the river between Pomeroy and Stewartstown.

Local anglers described the spill as an "absolute disaster" and said the community, who has fished the river for generations, has been left devastated.

The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) are investigating.

The spill is believed to have happened last weekend.

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) said the release of slurry is thought to have come from an above ground tank and the amount spilled was "significant".

The Claggan River joins the Killymoon River and Ballinderry Rivers downstream from Cookstown.

DAERA confirmed that significant reaches of both have also been impacted by the spill.

"Inland fisheries officers are continuing to assess the extent and magnitude of the fish kill and the investigation remains ongoing," a DAERA statement said.

John Hagan from Coagh Angling Club said a substantial number of young fish have been killed and he believed the fishing season has been "wiped out".

"This feels like a death in the family," Mr Hagan said.