Mystery donor pays £10k for cyanide canal clean-up

Up to 300m (984ft) of the canal was affected by the spill and the Canal and Rivers Trust said chemical testing will continue every day

An anonymous donor has pledged £10,000 to pay for a canal clean-up operation after a major chemical spill - covering a charity's fundraising target.

About 4,000 litres (879 gallons) of sodium cyanide leaked into the Walsall Canal at Pleck in Walsall last week, sparking an emergency response and killing thousands of fish.

The Canal & River Trust (CRT) launched a crowdfunder campaign on Monday and after the anonymous donation, its total now stands at more than £13,000.

Up to 12 miles (19km) of the waterway was closed for safety reasons after the spill from metal finishing firm Anochrome Ltd, which is based next to the canal.

The CRT has now confirmed about 90kg (198lbs) of fish carcasses have been removed from the canal.

Up to 300m (984ft) of water was affected by the spill and daily chemical testing will continue.

About 90kg of fish were killed, the trust has now confirmed

CRT regional director Henriette Breukelaar said on Monday the incident had been "extremely distressing" and caused great harm to local wildlife.

While Anochrome Ltd should face a financial penalty, following an investigation by the Environment Agency (EA), Ms Breukelaar said the crowdfunder would enable them to take action now to clean up the waterway and protect wildlife.

Anochrome Ltd said it had been working with investigating authorities. ever since calling the alarm about the problem, in the early hours of 13 August.

The cordon was later reduced, and now just a section from James Bridge on Bentley Mill Way, Darlaston to Rollingmill Street in Walsall remains closed because chemicals, including sodium cyanide and zinc cyanide, have been found at elevated levels.

The CRT said it expected the aquatic ecosystem in the polluted area could take years to recover, after the spill caused devastation in that stretch, from "the smallest invertebrates right up to the otter that has a territory through that section".

At its height, the emergency response involved three councils, fire, police and ambulance services as well as the EA, Severn Trent, NHS and the UK Health Security Agency.