Fish death fears as pools freeze over

Fish are dying and thousands more are at risk after a fishing pool in the Black Country froze over during the cold spell, it emerged today.

Carp and other breeds have been seen floating at the surface of the popular fishing pool at Willenhall Memorial Park.

It is believed plummeting temperatures have created a thick layer of ice on top of the pool, leaving fish starved of oxygen in the shallow waters. Mini-diggers have been taken on to smash through the ice and help the fish to breathe.

Park chiefs have sought advice from the Environment Agency and will review the pool this week to see if they need to install an oxygen pump to save the fish.

It comes amid warnings that the freezing temperatures, which last week dipped as low as -12C (10F), could continue this week.

It has been suggested by anglers who use the pool that up to 5,000 fish, worth around £20,000, are at risk.

Councillor Carl Creaney, representative for Willenhall South, said: "We could lose the entire fish stock because of the cold weather.

"We are talking about around 5,000 fish.

"Looking after these fish is a complex operation because you cannot just up and move them due to the dangers of contaminating other pools."

The pool has undergone more than £125,000 worth of repairs after subsidence made it difficult for disabled fishermen to cast a line there.

Elsewhere in the Black Country, fish in another beauty spot were targeted by thieves who stole hordes of fish.

Carp, tench and roach were snatched from Moorcroft Wood Local Nature Reserve during the summer months.

Up to 20 people were seen congregating at the spot off Hawkswood Drive over the summer with stock levels of fish in the pool plummeting.

The cold temperatures have brought havoc to the Black Country over the past weeks and there are warnings it is set to continue.

Schools and roads were closed, bin services disrupted and a water main on the Broadway, cracked and flooded homes and gardens.