ACTION has been taken to help save fish in York’s River Foss after hundreds were found to be dead and dying following the heatwave.

The Environment Agency says its staff used pumps to aerate the water with oxygen after the prolonged hot and sunny weather had left the river with low levels, which made it difficult for fish.

A spokesman said several hundred dead and dying fish were reported in the Foss in the centre of York over the weekend and the water was aerated on Sunday evening.

York resident Mark Goscinski took pictures of fish floating on the water at Postern Gate at 6.30pm on Sunday, which he supplied to The Press, saying he thought it might be due to severe lack of oxygen.

The agency said it gained access to the site with permission from City of York Council and help from North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service.

A fire service spokeswoman said its York crew had used an angle grinder to cut a padlock to help the agency gain access to the river through a padlocked gate.

The agency spokesman said staff left the pump running overnight to re-oxygenate the water. They returned the following morning and measured an improvement in dissolved oxygen levels, from 18 per cent to 40 per cent.

“Hot, sunny weather can lead to low flows in rivers which makes it more difficult for fish,” he said, adding that there had also been a similar incident in the River Ouse near Naburn Lock over the weekend.

He urged anyone seeing fish struggling in rivers to phone an incident hotline on 0800 807060.