AN INVESTIGATION is under way to try and find out the cause of a poison spill which killed almost 200 fish in a Nelson river.

Officers from the Environment Agency are analysing samples of water taken from Walverden Water following the leak on Wednesday.

The spill left around 180 fish, including trout, dead.

The chairman of Pendle Council's Nelson committee, Coun David Foster, was alerted to the spill on Wednesday morning and informed the authorities.

He said: "A resident rang me and told me what had happened so I phoned the council and the Environment Agency straight away and went down there.

"The foam had spilled into Walverden Park and the fish were lying dead in the water. Whatever this was and wherever it has come from it has caused some serious damage to the river and I will be pressing for a full report on what has happened."

Environment Agency spokesman Alix Bell said: "We have taken water samples away for analysis and expect to have the results back by the middle of next week.

"Fisheries officers have also been out to the scene and taken 180 dead fish out of the river.

"They will be doing a survey of the area."