Stormy weather has claimed the lives of hundreds of fish which have been spotted floating on the River Blackwater.

High pressure reduced the amount of oxygen in the river upstream of Bocking, where the dead fish were found today.

The Environment Agency was on standby to aerate the water - using a machine to blow air into the river and create bubbles - if conditions got too bad.

A spokesman said the problem is very common in stormy weather and oxygen levels in rivers normally recover by themselves.

She said: "If people are walking down the river and see the fish, they should know we are aware of it and we will act if we need to.

"If people see fish gasping for air in areas we don’t know about, they can call the emergency hotline on 0800 807060."