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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
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| Sea life fears follow oil spill | Sea life fears follow oil spill |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| A clean-up is continuing after an oil leak from a tanker in New Quay, mid Wales, forced evacuation of homes and left two needing medical attention. | |
| The work is expected to last two days after about 300 gallons (1,363 litres) of kerosene ran into water courses in the coastal town. | |
| Kerosene reached the beach 150m (450ft) away, raising worries for sea life. | Kerosene reached the beach 150m (450ft) away, raising worries for sea life. |
| The Environment Agency said it was considering taking enforcement action after the spill on Thursday afternoon. | The Environment Agency said it was considering taking enforcement action after the spill on Thursday afternoon. |
| Some of the heating oil had been visible in the sea close to shore, but heavy rain raised hopes it would be dispersed quickly. | |
| The agency said it would continue to monitor the effectiveness of the absorbent materials used to get rid of the oil during the weekend. | |
| Ceredigion County Council has been placing notices on Traeth y Dolau beach advising visitors not to bathe and to keep away from the affected area until further notice. | |
| We will continue to monitor the clean up operations underway at New Quay Gareth Jones, Environment Agency | |
| Rachel Russell, local public health director for Ceredigion Local Health Board warned the public to keep away from the affected area. | |
| "The public are advised to stay away from the area, avoid dog walking on the affected beaches and not to collect any items from the beach including shells, shellfish and sea life," she said. | |
| Following the spillage, two elderly people were given medical help because of fumes and two houses and a shop were evacuated. | |
| Michael Hockaday, whose Penwig Hotel is yards from the site, said he had initially thought it was an oil leak from a car when fire engines arrived. | Michael Hockaday, whose Penwig Hotel is yards from the site, said he had initially thought it was an oil leak from a car when fire engines arrived. |
| "Obviously that wasn't the case and we soon realised the scale of the problem," he said. | "Obviously that wasn't the case and we soon realised the scale of the problem," he said. |
| "One of my staff who lives not far from the spillage had to be evacuated from her cottage along with her grandparents who live nearby. | "One of my staff who lives not far from the spillage had to be evacuated from her cottage along with her grandparents who live nearby. |
| "They all came down the hotel where paramedics called and checked them out." | "They all came down the hotel where paramedics called and checked them out." |
| He said the heating oil had flowed down a steep bank and into some gullies before reaching the beach. | He said the heating oil had flowed down a steep bank and into some gullies before reaching the beach. |
| The oil leaked down a narrow pathway between houses | The oil leaked down a narrow pathway between houses |
| "It looks as though some got onto a beach in the town but not the main blue flag beach," he added. | |
| Much of the oil, which flowed down a narrow pathway between houses, has been soaked up by sand laid by environment officials. | Much of the oil, which flowed down a narrow pathway between houses, has been soaked up by sand laid by environment officials. |
| However, a strong smell of oil remained in the town centre on Friday. | However, a strong smell of oil remained in the town centre on Friday. |
| Jan Coop, landlady of the Dolau Inn, said: "The concern is for the dolphins, I think, and I don't think people can believe what 300 gallons is and what damage it can cause in the little bay here." | Jan Coop, landlady of the Dolau Inn, said: "The concern is for the dolphins, I think, and I don't think people can believe what 300 gallons is and what damage it can cause in the little bay here." |
| Gareth Jones, of the Environment Agency, said although the spill had reached the beach, the oil had not yet reached the water. | Gareth Jones, of the Environment Agency, said although the spill had reached the beach, the oil had not yet reached the water. |
| "We will continue to monitor the clean up operations underway at New Quay," he said. | |
| Oil booms and absorbent pads are in place to try to prevent any oil working its way into the sea. | |
| "The alleged polluter has been fully co-operative with our investigations, and we will consider what action to take at a later stage," Mr Jones added. | |