The Environment Agency (EA) has launched an investigation into a 'pollution incident' at the River Crane in which appeared to have killed many fish.
The agency was called into action following several reports from members of the public that a section of the river at Twickenham had turned black and fish were seen in distress.
The source of the pollution has been traced to an outfall pipe upstream of the A30, and EA officers are at the scene working with partners to minimise the impact of the incident.
Mark Heelis of the Environment Agency said: "This is a significant incident and it appears that many fish have been killed. Environment Agency officers are working hard to minimise any further impact this incident has on the environment. A full investigation into the incident is underway and we will be providing regular updates on the incident as the situation progresses."
The latest incident comes two years after 10,000 fish were killed along a seven-mile stretch of the river, from Cranford to Isleworth, when a huge amount of raw sewage was released following a mechanical fault in October 2011.
A survey carried out by Thames Water two months later revealed just one species survived the disaster - a member of the hydrobiidae family, commonly known as mud snails, measuring no longer than 8mm.
The Environment Agency has encouraged to report any incident of pollution to its 24 hour hotline on 0800 807060.
getwestlondon and the Hounslow Chronicle will bring you updates as the situation develops.
