ENVIRONMENT Agency staff are still trying to trace the source of oil pollution in a stream which nearly claimed the lives of two cats.

Leigh Dyer, acting manager of a children's nursery, said her tabbie cat Millie had to spend nearly a week at the vets after stumbling through the cat flap of their home in Weycroft, with her coat covered in oil.

Mrs Dyer said: "Cats don't normally go into the water, but Millie may have been chased into the brook by a dog."

Mrs Dyer said:"My vets' bill totalled £250 which I would not want to pay out again." A neighbour's cat, who also fell in the water, did not suffer so badly., which also fell foul of the stream, has a longer coat and did not appear to suffer as badly as Millie.

After the mystery spillage was spotted about a month ago, Environment Agency staff placed an absorbent boom across Ladygrove Brook, at Mersey Way, to soak up the oil.

But neighbours say the oil is still lingering.there is still a smell of oil from the stream, and oil is still being trapped in the boom.

Ladygrove Brook, which eventually runs into the Thames several miles away, takes the groundwater from a large area of Didcot - making the task of establishing the source of the pollution almost impossible.

Environment Agency spokesman Esther Lewis said the situation was under control and the boom would remain in place until the pollution was cleared up.

Mrs Dyer said she would prefer the agency used a chemical to clean the area.

Ms Lewis said she was unable to indicate the source of the spillage which has been described as diesel fuel by people living near Weycroft.

Mrs Dyer said: "I would have preferred the Environment Agency to use some sort of dispersal chemical to clean up the stream."

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