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.
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.
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."