A STRETCH of the RIver Roach has been declared out of bounds for shell fishing after high levels of bacteria were found in the water.

A report by the Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science found high levels of e-coli in the river at Barton Hall shell fishery and in Paglesham.

The centre recommended a ban on harvesting shellfish from the Barton Hall site for two years while an investigation is carried out into possible causes of the pollution.

Investigators said: “The average level of results has increased in the last twelve months and the magnitude of the most recent result causes concern.”

The ban was put in place by the Food Standards Agency following the report. The Port of London Authority issued a temporary closure notice on February 20.

The notice says commercial organisations “must not collect shellfish from this area by any method” for “health reasons”.

The Food Standards Agency also recommended local fishermen be informed, but the closure notice doesn’t seemed to have been widely publicised.

Fisherman Paul Gilson said: “This is not a gradual decline. There has been a huge spike in contamination of the river. People don’t know about it and I think they should be made more aware. There may not be an commercial shellfishing going on there, but local people often go down there to collect clams and mussels.

“The public should be made more aware of what is going on otherwise it will look like a cover up. There also needs to be a thorough investigation into the problem.”

In Paglesham levels of E. coli recorded on December 4 last year were 210 and on January 5 it had risen to 24,000. At Barton Hall during the same period readings went from 1,100 to 392,00 against a legislative limit of 4,600.

A spokesman for the Environment Agency said: “We are carrying out additional water quality testing in the River Roach after London Port Health Authority temporarily closed down Barton Hall Shellfishery in February following reports of e-coli.

“There has been a steady deterioration of the water quality in the River Roach.

“We do not know the cause, but it is thought to be due to urban and agricultural run off.”

PROBLEMS WITH THE E. COLI BUG

ESCHERICHIA coli (e.coli) bacteria normally live in the intestines of healthy people and animals.

Most varieties of e.coli are harmless or cause relatively brief diarrhoea But a few particularly nasty strains can cause severe abdominal cramps, bloody diarrhoea and vomiting.

Exposure to e.coli can come from contaminated water or food — especially raw vegetables and undercooked ground beef.

Healthy adults usually recover from infection with e.coli within a week, but young children and older adults have a greater risk of developing a life-threatening form of kidney failure.