Scubaism

In Worcester’s flooded racecourse, thousands of fish stranded by floods are being stunned with electricity as part of efforts to rescue them.

The Environment Agency said the oxygen levels have been dropping out of the water quickly so the fish would die if they were not helped now.

Electricity is passed through the water before the fish are collected in nets and tanks to be stored until they can be put back in the water later. Carp, bream and eel are among the types found so far.

David Throup, from the Environment Agency, said: “It’s the second time it’s happened with the summer floods. What usually happens in the winter is the fish are quite torpid. They’re quite slow and they tend to roll back in the river when the waters go down.

“In the summer they’re more adventurous and they’re looking for somewhere to spawn, somewhere to feed, so they go out across the flood plain.”

He said the agency would try to deal with the larger fish on Tuesday evening and intended to return on Wednesday to help the smaller fish.