An oil spill in the Grand Union Canal will be left to disperse which officials say will have 'minimal further impact' on wildlife, despite it already harming two swans.
Oil was spotted in a section of the canal just north of bridge 75, by Oakridge Park, on Wednesday (17/2).
One local man, Rich, who lives on a canal boat nearby also saw two swans covered in black residue.
Alongside reporting the incident to the relevant organisations, Rich shared photographs of the animals on social media which prompted a response from the RSPCA who said it was "awful to see the birds like this".
The following day, on Thursday (18/2), the Swan Sanctuary, the Canal and River Trust, and the Environment Agency all visited the scene.
Volunteers from the Swan Sanctuary rescued the two swans and took them to Shepperton, where they will be properly cleaned and treated over the coming days. It is expected that they will require some antibiotics after they ingested the oil, and will be returned to the stretch of the canal soon.
The Canal and River Trust and the Environment Agency have assessed the spill, which they say most likely would have escaped from a boat.
When Rich met with the team from The Canal and River Trust on Thursday (18/2), he was told that it was best to leave the oil to disperse by itself - something which he, and hundreds of his followers, have disagreed with.
The charity, which looks after over 2,000 miles of waterways, says the spill will have "minimal further impact" on wildlife in the area.
A spokesperson for The Canal and River Trust said: "Unfortunately, a relatively small amount of oil can go along way as it can spread a thin film across the water.
"Our colleague had with him pollution booms and oil absorbent pads but given the thin spread of oil over a long stretch of canal, these would be ineffective. Other options for ‘cleaning up’ oil in the canal involve adding chemicals which can harm the fish. So, on reflection and with the assurance of the Environment Agency, whilst the oil looks alarming, it will disperse with minimal further impact on wildlife.
“We’ve not been able to identify the boat responsible. If anyone has any info, please get in touch.”
Rich has since reported today (19/2) that the oil has moved further down the canal, out of the swan's territory, and towards The Black Horse in Great Linford.
Rich has also started a JustGiving page to fund the two swans' care at the Swan Sanctuary. It has received over £500 in donations so far. You can access the page here.
