FISHERMEN are being asked to stay away from a Castlemorton pond after algae caused the death of over 2,000 fish.

Malvern Hills Conservators' wardens were alerted on Sunday morning that fish were dead at Mill Pond. The Environment Agency responded, testing the water, removing dead fish and setting up oxygen equipment.

Some 2,000 fish died by Tuesday. Signs have been put up around the pond asking for no fishing for the foreseeable future, to allow the numbers to recover.

Dr Alan Starkie from the Environment Agency said that weather conditions had allowed algae to reproduce in the pond, using up oxygen in the water.

"When the algae dies back oxygen levels are significantly depleted and fish die from lack of oxygen," he said. "This situation is aggravated by the urine and faeces from the fish and ducks and the combination of feeding ducks and anglers bait, which together with a shallow pond and warm weather, has encouraged the algae to bloom."

Conservators' director Ian Rowat said it was the first time since 1982 an incident had occurred at the pond. He said fish numbers should recover naturally within a month without restocking.