THE battle is on to protect wildlife at a popular boating lake after a 2,000-litre oil spill.

The Environment Agency is fighting to stop oil ruining Brooklands Lake, Lancing, after a successful damage limitation exercise saved resident swans and wildfowl.

The clean-up operation was a success but some birds appeared to have been affected by the thin layer of oil covering the surface of the lake.

The RSPCA was called in to treat a family of three swans which have now recovered after being coated in oil.

One dead swan was found on the lake but the cause of death has not been linked to the oil spill.

RSPCA spokesman Wendy Shaw said: "A male, female and juvenile swan were washed and treated at RSPCA locations. They are being monitored to make sure that their natural oils come back to their feathers.

"They may have taken some of the oil internally. But they are recovering well.

"Hopefully, no more birds will need treating."

Pollution experts were called to the leisure spot after members of the public reported seeing oil in the lake.

Agency officers teamed up with Southern Water staff, the fire brigade and police to boom the culvert entering the lake and soak up the oil.

An Environment Agency spokesman said: "This is one of the worst oil spills I have seen in a public lake.

"Samples and evidence has been collected with a view to legal proceedings."

The oil has been traced back to the Worthing Industrial Estate, Dominion Way, more than a mile upstream.

It is believed it leaked from a tank into the culverts that lead to the lake.

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