Workers build sandbag dam to prevent Ellesmere slurry pollution incident
The quick actions of smart thinking Environment Agency workers stopped gallons of slurry from entering a water course.
Members of the field services team were called to land near Ellesmere on Saturday after a load of slurry, which had been spread on fields, threatened to enter a nearby brook.
They worked through the night to build a sandbag dam which contained the slurry before it was safely taken away by the farmer.
Martin Quine from the Environment Agency said: “Over the weekend, we worked very closely with a farmer from Ellesmere to successfully prevent a significant slurry pollution.
"A large amount of slurry from land spreading was running off the land and entering a small brook. We advised the farmer on how to contain the slurry, but it became evident that more needed to be done to prevent a serious pollution.
“As the risk of a substantial pollution was very high, our field services team went on scene and worked during the night on Saturday to contain the slurry.
"Slurry was then safely taken away by the farmer. Our actions were extremely successful and prevented a significant pollution which could have had very harmful effects on the local water environment.”
