AN INVESTIGATION has been launched to find an oil leak in the River Axe which has been labelled a possible “disaster”.

The Environment Agency (EA) is appealing for information to help find the leak and officers are inspecting the stretch of the river in Mosterton after it was confirmed the river had become polluted.

It is not yet thought that any fish or wildlife have died due to the leak, but the EA is trying to find it — is believed to be small and well covered, before it causes any serious damage.

The leak has been labelled as a possible environmental disaster because of the river’s special scientific interest, as it is home to salmon and trout.

Originally, the leak first sprung last year and officers could not find the source of the pollution.

It stopped soon after, but pollution was then found again last month. Agency officers from the believe it is coming from a small leak with a constant drip or a tank that has leaks to a certain level.

The oil finds its way in to the surface after a drainage system that runs down the main A3066 from Bowes Lane.

The EA is urging anyone with any information about where the leak is coming from to come forward.

Doug Parker, from the EA said: “The oil is causing an odour nuisance down the length of the High Street as well as polluting the Axe.

“It is possible that this problem has returned because a heating oil tank has been recently refilled. We would ask that any residents on a heating oil system to closely monitor their usage and oil level over these warmer months for any unusual losses.

“We need to trace the source of the pollution as soon as possible to prevent any further risk to the environment.”

An EA spokesman added: “It hasn’t killed fish or anything, it is not a huge environmental incident but we don’t want it to continue.

“The more it goes in to the water the more damage it will do. We’re quite keen to find it, we don’t want it to continue being polluted.”

The river is noted as a site of special scientific interest by Natural England and is described as a valuable habitat for a variety of bird species including kingfishers.

The site also contains important fish species including of fish considered important including the Atlantic salmon, bullhead and sea trout.

Cllr Peter Finney, cabinet member for environment at Dorset County Council said: joined the Environment Agency in urging people to come forward as he feared it could be a possible “environmental disaster, due to the river’s salmon population.

He added: “It really is important we take care of the river and we take care of the environment.”

Anyone with information on the incident can call the Environment Agency’s 24-hour hotline on 0800 807060 or 01392 352400.