Chemical spill turns river into 15-mile-long 'bubble bath' killing more than 2,000 fish

  • More than 2,000 fish died after a chemical spill in the Great Ouse near Brackley
  • The 15-mile stretch of the river looked like a 'washing machine had exploded'
  • Locals said suds were 5ft, with fisherman and dog walkers warned to stay away
  • It is believed to have started after a fire at an industrial unit on June 26

By Cheyenne Roundtree For Mailonline

Published: | Updated:

More than 2,000 fish have died after a chemical spill turned a river into a giant 'bubble bath'.

The 15-mile stretch of the Great Ouse near Brackley, Northamptonshire, looked like a 'washing machine had exploded' after the water turned thick and foamy.

Locals reported the suds as reaching heights of up to 5ft, sparking a warning for dog walkers and fisherman to stay away.

More than 2,000 fish died after a chemical spill in the Great Ouse near Brackley, Northamptonshire 

More than 2,000 fish died after a chemical spill in the Great Ouse near Brackley, Northamptonshire 

The 15-mile stretch of river looked like a 'washing machine had exploded' after the water turned thick and foamy

The 15-mile stretch of river looked like a 'washing machine had exploded' after the water turned thick and foamy

Another on-looker posted pictures of the spillage, saying: 'This is the weir just out of Buckingham today taken now. You can smell the chemicals.

'The water looks dirty compared to how the water looked in Stoney Stratford.'

An official spokesman said: 'Environment Agency Officers are continuing to investigate a pollution incident affecting a 25km stretch of the River Great Ouse downstream from Brackley.

'More than 2,000 dead fish have been reported and officers are on the ground recording evidence and collecting water samples to understand the environmental impact.

'Due to the nature of the pollution, understood to include detergent, there is no action we can take to remove or stop it.

'However, as it travels further downstream it should become more dilute.' 

Locals reported the suds as reaching heights of up to 5ft, sparking a warning for dog walkers and fisherman to stay away

Locals reported the suds as reaching heights of up to 5ft, sparking a warning for dog walkers and fisherman to stay away

Another on-looker posted pictures of the spillage, saying: 'This is the weir just out of Buckingham today taken now. You can smell the chemicals'

Another on-looker posted pictures of the spillage, saying: 'This is the weir just out of Buckingham today taken now. You can smell the chemicals'

The problem is believed to have started after a fire at an industrial unit in Brackley on June 26, raising questions as to how the contaminant entered the river

The problem is believed to have started after a fire at an industrial unit in Brackley on June 26, raising questions as to how the contaminant entered the river

The spokesperson added: 'As a precaution we recommend that people stay out of the River Ouse and keep pets and livestock away from the river between Brackley and Milton Keynes.' 

The problem is believed to have started after a fire at an industrial unit in Brackley on June 26, raising questions as to how the contaminant entered the river.

Buckingham councillor Robin Stuchbury said: 'The river was pristine clean - one incidence of pollution may have set us back 20 years.'

He added: 'In this day and age we shouldn't be using the river as a sewer.'

Thames Valley Police has also warned people to keep out of the river.  

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