A SPECIES of fish is flourishing in the River Lostock after a successful scheme to reintroduce it.

The brown trout is breeding in the river for the first time in living memory thanks to work by the Environment Agency.

Although the upper parts of the Lostock, which runs through Leyland and is a tributary of the River Yarrow in Chorley, form an ideal habitat for the fish, none was found during an agency stock survey three years ago. Workers put its absence down to pollution.

After efforts to improve the water quality, the agency reintroduced 2,000 young brown trout in July 2000 in the upper sections of the river.

Annual surveys proved the fish are growing at a rapid rate and were surviving well. Staff found young brown trout in the Lostock this summer that have spawned naturally.

It is hoped the success of the project could even see the reintroduction of other species such as salmon and sea trout.

The agency is also looking at installing a fish pass at Farington Weir to help the fish reach spawning ground upstream.

Fisheries technical officer Darren Wilson said: "The experiment has been a complete success."