Oil spill in Cleethorpes Country Park harms wildlife

Cleethorpes Country Park is dealing with an oil spill that has affected local wildlife, particularly swans, with visible oil slicks in the park's waterways.

North East Lincolnshire Council received several reports of the contamination earlier today.

Upon inspection, council officers discovered a pair of gloves and retrieved an empty bottle suspected to have contained oil.

Councillor Henry Hudson, portfolio holder for environment and net zero, said: “This is frankly unacceptable in every sense of the word.”

“Not only is this disrespecting the beautiful open spaces that our borough offers, but it’s also putting the animals who live there in danger. If anyone has any information on this incident, we would greatly appreciate them coming forward to help resolve the matter.”

The oil spill has caused distress among the park's wildlife, particularly affecting a nesting pair of swans.

To mitigate the effects, drainage officers have placed absorbent pillars in the water to help soak up the remaining oil and protect more wildlife from potential harm.

Cleethorpes Wildlife Rescue posted on social media saying it is aware of the situation.

It urged the public not to attempt to rescue any birds themselves and to report signs of oil pollution to the Environment Agency.

James Elliot, from the Canoe River Cleaner, commented on social media about the spill's origin: “The source is a clear container containing what appears to be oil. As with any petroleum based product, it sits on the surface and can spread, making it look far worse. Let's hope that’s the case here as oil can be very damaging to an aquatic ecosystem.”

Council officers are collaborating with the Environment Agency and Anglian Water to understand the next steps in removing the oil from the waterway.