FOAM patches seen on York's River Ouse this morning are NOT caused by pollution, according to the Environment Agency.

An agency spokeswoman said it had received several calls this morning from members of the public who were concerned because they had seen patches of foam on the water's surface.

She said an officer had been sent to investigate in case there had been any pollution.

She said she could now confirm that the foam was just a 'natural phenomenon, caused by higher nutrient levels in the river as a result of decaying leaves etc."

She said it was not uncommon to see this type of foam in the autumn. "The foam is not harmful, and will disperse naturally. If members of the public have any concerns they can contact our incident hotline on 0800 807060."