A POLLUTED watercourse in Keighley is endangering human health and threatening an ecological disaster, it is claimed.

Thick black oil and other pollutants are clogging a goit, which would normally be an important backwater to the River Worth through the town.

Floating barriers designed to retain the pollution are in place, but it's feared that during high water the defences are ineffective – allowing oil to enter the river.

The River Worth Friends say they were told by the Environment Agency – which has been investigating the source of the pollution, close to Marriner's Walk – that it no longer has the resources to continue with its enquiries, unless new information comes to light.

The comments have come under fire from the Friends, who are being backed by Keighley Central district councillor Zafar Ali.

He has visited the site to see for himself the problems, and is concerned about the potentially "catastrophic" consequences of the pollution.

"We are most disappointed at the Environment Agency’s response that it 'doesn't have a limitless supply of resources and money'," he said.

"This is not acceptable and we urge that the agency finds the source of the pollution and a permanent solution.

"I recently accompanied the River Worth Friends to inspect the goit.

"The black oil presents a great danger to birds and other species – once they fall in, they won’t come out.

"I am also concerned that if a passer-by carelessly discarded a cigarette or match, the oil could very easily catch fire and potentially spread to the surrounding area – which has grass and trees. It could also have catastrophic consequences for the people living close by, as well as the nearby bus depot."

The River Worth Friends say they are "dismayed" that the Environment Agency is no longer actively pursuing its investigations.

A spokesperson added: "They appear to have written-off this watercourse to allow it to be an ongoing eyesore and a threat to wildlife and human health.

"We hope this helps raise awareness of the need for additional funding in the Environment Agency so that it can tackle more pollution incidents, preferably every one.

"If you spot a pollution incident, call the Environment Agency hotline on the freephone number 0800 807060 and make a note of the incident number. Also please notify us so that we can follow it up with the agency."

The Environment Agency told the Keighley News that it is taking the goit pollution "very seriously" and will continue to monitor the situation.

A spokesperson said: "Our specialist officers have carried out a thorough investigation of the site, which has been inconclusive so far.

"We take environmental risks associated with oil pollution very seriously and remain committed in continuing to monitor the situation and providing measures to limit the harmful effects of the pollution. This includes regularly replacing absorbent materials we’ve placed in the water, which are designed to soak-up any oil or spillages.

"The pollutant may be entering the watercourse from a leaky container, or it could be that someone is knowingly disposing of it illegally; either way, we need to find the cause as soon as possible. If anyone can provide any new information, then please report it to our incident hotline on 0800 807060 so we can further investigate."

* The River Worth Friends – who last year collected over 1,000 bags of litter during clean-ups and ran a number of walks and family events – welcomes new members. For more details, visit riverworthfriends.org or facebook.com/RiverWorthFriends.