Wildlife needs help as river levels fall

The impact of the hot, dry weather includes reduced breeding and feeding wetland spots for wading birds such as lapwings and curlews and lower oxygen levels in rivers killing fish and other wildlife.

Low river levels can prevent fish migrating downstream, killing them as remaining shallow pools dry up, while invertebrates such as crayfish may also become stranded in shrinking patches of water.

The Environment Agency said it was stepping up river monitoring to quickly identify pollution incidents in slow-flowing or lower rivers, where contaminants may remain undiluted.

It is also readying specialist pumping equipment to deal with falling oxygen levels caused by the hot weather, which can kill fish and other aquatic wildlife.

The agency is also calling on anglers, dog walkers and ramblers to report suspected pollution incidents or evidence of fish dying off so it can respond quickly to where wildlife is threatened.