AN investigation is underway into the cause of oil pollution close to a primary school in a York village.

Wheldrake Liberal Democrat Cllr Christian Vassie says oil has been spilling into a beck in Elvington since late January and despite efforts made by the parish council the Environment Agency have not located the source of the problem or the perpetrators.

The Environment Agency (EA) has said they have been out to the site on several occasions and that they are still investigating the cause.

The beck runs by White House Grove, next to people's homes and just 50m from Elvington Primary School. 

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Cllr Vassie said: "I have walked the length of the village and could smell oil all the way from the primary school, through the village, past the village green and on to the back of the churchyard from where the beck feeds into the River Derwent.

"I hope that the EA can be persuaded to pin down the source of the pollution and deal with the perpetrator. On my way round the village two residents stopped me to talk about the issue. A parish councillor advised me that the EA thought the source was somewhere in the industrial estate." 

The beck pours into the River Derwent just two miles upstream from the Lower Derwent Valley, an internationally important nature reserve. 

York Press: Oil in the beck in White House Grove Oil in the beck in White House Grove (Image: Christian Vassie)

Writing to City of York Council officers Cllr Vassie said: "We cannot allow this pollution to continue and I am calling on the council to put pressure on the Environment Agency to sort this out. I am pleased to say that council officers have responded positively."

In response the council's Flood Risk Manager, Steve Wragg, said:  "I have contacted the EA area base controller who looks after flooding and environmental management issues, she has confirmed that they are aware of this over the last few weeks and today but it is not being dealt with as a current incident.

"I have asked her to send me the details of the officer dealing with this and I will speak to them to express the ongoing concerns and ask that it is given more priority."

An EA spokesperson said: "We have attended the site of an oil pollution incident in Elvington multiple times.

"Our investigations are currently ongoing to understand the source.

"Members of the public can report environmental incidents such as this to our 24/7 incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60."