New Malden oil spill: Heron dies after being coated

Thick black oil was dumped into Pyl Brook in Lower Morden two ago

A heron covered in thick oil has died two weeks after a spill polluted rivers in Morden Park and Richmond Park in south west London.

The oil was dumped in Pyl Brook in Lower Morden, which runs into Beverley Brook in New Malden.

Locals reported the bird, a regular visitor to Malden golf course, had survived for a number of days while covered in the substance.

Attempts were made to catch it, but the heron was found dead on Saturday.

The natural lifespan of a grey heron is about five years

A volunteer from London Wildlife Protection said: "The really sad thing is that he suffered.

"The smell was awful. The problem is it is really difficult to get rid of everything, it is really thick and black and gets caught up in shrubs along the way so it can get logged for some time then move on."

In the aftermath of the spill, dog walkers on Wimbledon and Putney Commons and Richmond Park were warned against letting their dogs enter the water, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The Environment Agency is still working to clear the waterways and is investigating the cause.

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