VILLAGERS are questioning why more was not done to prevent the deaths of hundreds of fish in a Lincolnshire river.

Residents of South Kyme, near Billinghay, were shocked to see the vertebrates gasping for air and called in the Environment Agency.

But despite the swift action of the environmental experts, many of the fish are now dead and rotting on the surface of the River Kyme Eau, a tributary of the River Slea – creating a sickening stench.

Now questions are being asked as to why earlier action was not taken to clear thick weeds that clog the river, which may have contributed in sucking the oxygen from the water and suffocating the fish.

Retired householder Ken Aley, 60, said he believed the problem had been created by previous poor management of the area.

He said: "The watercourse has not been dredged since 1940, so silt has built up and it contains nitrates which the weeds need to grow.

"And last year a significant amount of weeds were left uncut, someone complained that they didn't like to see the cut weeds on the banks so they seemed to stop cutting, and I think that has contributed to this year's excessive amount. "We've been told the weeds oxidate the water, and I know some do, but at least 75 per cent of what is in there is 'blanket weed' and that doesn't help."

When Environment Agency officers arrived at the river, at about 5.30am on Tuesday last week, the oxygen level had plummeted to five per cent – more than ten per cent below that usually required to support fish.

Angler Keith Myatt, 67, who lives by the riverside, said he was fighting a losing battle against the weeds.

He said: "Three of us, who live next door to each other, all fish so we try to clear the weeds out.

"But every time we clear them they come back and we are having to deal with them every two days."

Arthur Young, 63, said the fish deaths were sad because the river had only been restocked four years ago after a pollution incident in Sleaford.

He said: "There's no way the village can clean this up on its own without risking life and limb.

"It's a shame because people take pride in the village and make a real effort to make the place look good."

Spokesman for the Environment Agency Regan Harris said airation work had begun and continued all day on Wednesday.

She said: "Something like this is quite common at this time of year due to low flow and low atmospheric pressure.

"But after airation the oxygen level rose to more than 50 per cent, which is fine for fish.

"Not a huge amount of fish were killed, but we will continue to monitor the oxygen levels in the river."