DEAD fish are to remain in the River Foss despite complaints from residents that the hot weather is making them smell.

Residents in Strensall, York, have noticed a smell of rotting fish after thousands were killed by a slurry spill, which entered the River Foss from Farlington Beck last week.

Billy Fairclough, of Strensall, contacted the Evening Press to share his concerns at the numbers of fish being washed up dead on the riverbank in the village.

"It really stinks at the riverside," he said. "Young people usually swim there in the summer, but if they come back there could be trouble.

"There are a lot of fish washed up there and there is a layer of thick scum on the top of the water. It is disgusting."

But an Environment Agency spokesman today said removing the fish would be a mammoth task.

He said: "The Environment Agency has been working around the clock to minimise the impact of slurry pollution in the River Foss and at the moment we are concentrating our resources on attempting to save the fish that are still alive. We have managed to save thousands of fish, but up to 2,000 may have perished in the Strensall area. In the hot weather these may begin to smell.

"Removing all dead fish from the river and its banks would be an enormous task and would mean the Agency having to gain access to a large number of private properties.

"However, if there are any large quantities of deceased fish in a small area causing a particular odour problem, the Agency will investigate the possibility of removing them if members of the public inform us of their location."

Anyone with concerns about the dead fish should contact the Environment Agency hotline on 0800 80 70 60.

Updated: 10:50 Thursday, August 07, 2003