Shropshire Star

Dead fish in Telford drains not piranhas after all, says Severn Trent

A fishy tale today ended when water company Severn Trent confirmed that a blocked sewer in Telford did not include a dead piranha.

Published
One of the dead fish. Photo: Stevern Trent Water

Severn Trent Water said they had been called to Madeley in March, following complaints of a fishy smell coming from their drains.

Residents were told someone locally had been disposing of dead fish, including piranhas, down a toilet.

A piranha - photo by Greg Hume

But the fish was more likely to be a freshwater tilapia, experts said.

The water firm said it had done a CCTV survey of the sewers on New Road and found a blockage, which turned out to be the fish.

It is the second time this year that the firm has needed to investigate a sewer blockage in Shropshire which was caused by odd items.

In January, sewers in Ditton Priors, near Bridgnorth, were blocked by piles of pants that had been flushed down a toilet.

A spokesman said: "At the end of the day, nothing like that is meant to be flushed down the toilet.

"It caused a blockage and we had to go out and clear it using bill payers' money.

"Whether it is a piranha or a freshwater fish you can buy, do not flush it down the toilet."

Sorry, we are not accepting comments on this article.