CHARLTON Lakes have been closed until further notice after hundreds of fish worth thousands of pounds were found dead in the water.

The Environment Agency was carrying out a post mortem on some of the fish this week and more tests are due to take place on the water - but the cause is thought to be natural rather than pollution.

First reports of the deaths were made on Sunday and since then committee members of Andover Angling Club have been out in force scooping the dead fish from the water and burying them.

Committee member John Leach said it was first thought to have been a lack of oxygen problem, but early tests by the agency suggested this was not the cause.

Mr Leach believes the fish may have been killed by toxic green algae caused by insufficient rain and strong sunlight.

"But whatever I say is pure conjecture and we won't know for sure until the tests come back from the Environment Agency," he said.

Literally hundreds of dead fish of all kinds have been removed from the lakes and buried, including tench, roach and bream.

FFor the full story see Friday's Andover Advertiser.