Vandals have been blamed for a major pollution incident in a Devon stream which resulted in 50 fish deaths.
South West Water informed the Environment Agency on May 31 that one of its sewer manholes was overflowing due to a sewer blockage. The incident occurred at a fork between two watercourses comprising the headwaters of the Tamerton Stream, at Widewell, Plymouth, which joins the River Tamar some two-and-a-half miles downstream.
Contractors identified the cause of the overflow as a sewer blockage and stopped the overflow within four hours. An embankment and culvert prevented the worst of the pollution reaching further downstream but around 50 brown trout were killed.
Jon Snowden, from the Environment Agency, said: "Further investigation showed the blockage had been caused by vandalism. Half of the split manhole lid was found at the bottom of the manhole chamber together with about a dozen large rocks and half a dozen tree branches."
It's the third incident in Plymouth in less than two months where "foreign objects" have caused blockages and led to pollution.
"This type of vandalism puts public health and the environment at risk. We would appeal to people to be vigilant and if they witness this type of vandalism to report it as soon as possible," said Mr Sowden.