WASTE from a rural chicken farm has sparked a major pollution scare on the River Tweed.

Effluent discharges from Millennium Farm leaked into the Eddleston Water last weekend.

And for the past four or five days both the tributary and the River Tweed have been discoloured and omitting a strange odour.

The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency and the River Tweed Commissioners were alerted to the leak.

Glenrath Farms, who operate the chicken farm near Eddleston, managed to stop the spill after the alarm was raised.

A spokesperson from SEPA told the Peeblesshire News: “Following complaints on Sunday, March 18, SEPA officers investigated discolouration in the Eddleston Water and traced the source to an accidental discharge of waste water from the Millennium Farm facility, north of Eddleston.

“While the operator took steps to stop the discharge quickly, discolouration was observed as far as the River Tweed in Peebles.”

Scientists from both SEPA and the River Tweed Commission don’t believe the leakage will have caused any major damage.

The SEPA spokesman added: “Samples taken by SEPA officers from the Eddleston Water have shown there to be limited, if any, impact to the ecology of the river as a result of the incident.

“SEPA officers are still engaged with the operator of the site to ensure actions are in place to prevent another accidental discharge from the facility.”

Strict guidelines are in place to protect the Tweed, which is designated as a European Special Area of Conservation for salmon, as well as it tributaries.

Fay Hieatt, from the River Tweed Commission (RTC), said: “An RTC officer visited the site and was able to confirm that no freshwater fish had been affected by the discharge. 

“The RTC maintains a close collaborative working partnership with SEPA on such incidents, assisting as required in identifying and providing information on any impacts on fish stocks which may have occurred. 

“The incident on the Eddleston Water appears to have been accidental, and fortunately has not affected juvenile fish stocks in the burn.”

Many residents along the Eddleston Water and the Tweed reported the discolouration and smell on Sunday and Monday.

One Peebles resident, who did not wish to be named, told us: “I live near the river and over the last seven days, myself and neighbours have noticed a foul smell coming from it.

“A neighbour of mine went out with a plastic bottle to get a small sample of the water, and told me he had to wash his hands three times as a result of the smell, and even then they still stank.”

The Peeblesshire News contacted Glenrath Farms for a comment on the issue but had not recieved one at the time of going to press.