Probe after oil slick in nature reserve

AN investigation is under way today after a waterway beside Ipswich's Holywells Park was polluted by oil and other motor-associated debris.

Julian Dowding, of the Friends of Holywells Park, spotted the slick when he was out walking yesterday morning.

Aside from large oil drums spewing their contents, car batteries and tyres were also floating in the water, which is part of a nature reserve.

Mr Dowding said: “It is a canal running parallel with the park and was polluted by some kind of engine oil. I went down there this morning with the park rangers and pulled two drums out. One was half full, the other was full.

“It has made a slick on the water about ten to 20 metres long.

“The stench gets into your throat and makes you feel sick because it's very, very smelly. There have been a lot of people going past and when they get to it they hold their noses.

“There are tyres and car batteries in the canal as well. This has happened in the last two or three days.”

Mr Dowding said the Environment Agency was called in yesterday to try and determine how the pollutants got into the water.

He added Ipswich Tyre and Exhaust Centre backs on to the waterway, although there is no suggestion it is responsible for the drums, batteries and tyres being put into the water.

Mr Dowding estimated that, at one stage, there were at least three car batteries and up to eight tyres dumped in the waterway.

The oil drums were said to be around two feet high and one foot in width.

Mr Dowding said: “I was just walking along about 9.30am and saw the oil slick, the blue drums and of course smelt the wretched smell. It was acrid and burns your throat. It's like bile - a yellowy, brown colour.”

The canal is used as a spawning ground for toads and is part of a larger nature reserve in the park.

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