The Environment Agency is appealing to the public for information about a pesticide that has polluted the River Kennet between Marlborough and Hungerford on the Wiltshire-Berkshire border.

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Environment Agency officers have been investigating the source of the pollution, believed to be common organophosphate pesticide chlorpyrifos, and have been taking samples to assess the impacts on the water quality.

Investigations have shown that many insects have been killed as a result of the spill, but there have been no reports so far of effects on fish. The agency has urged people in the region not to touch the river water until more is known about the spill, or to eat fish caught from the river.

Paul Hudson from the Environment Agency commented on Thursday, "We have had officers out this week sampling the river as part of our investigation, and we will be back on site tomorrow and throughout the weekend to continue to monitor the impacts and any longer term issues.

"There are numerous locations and ways it could have entered the sewage treatment works before it reached the river, and we are appealing for any information anyone has about how this happened."

He added, "The levels in the river are not believed to be harmful, particularly as there has been no impact on fish in the river, but Public Health England has advised that people should avoid contact with the skin and keep their pets away from the water until further information is available. Our main aim now is to investigate what has happened here, mitigate the impacts on the aquatic wildlife and take steps to educate those responsible and others to try to prevent it from happening again. We will also continue to keep river users along the Kennet informed as our investigation continues. "

Mr Hudson said anyone with information on the incident should contact the Environment Agency via its hotline number 0800 80 70 60.