A "DESPERATE scramble" took place yesterday to rescue thousands of fish at a Cwmbran beauty spot after more than 100 mysteriously died.

Members of the public joined Torfaen council staff to save the fish at the Llanyravon Boating Lake.

A council official spotted more than 100 dead fish on the surface of the lake at around 8.30am.

Officers were called and began spraying water on the lake in an effort to provide oxygen to the remaining bream, carp and roach.

Worried locals joined in, using nets to move around 30 fish into a nearby pond.

The cause of a problem is currently unknown, with the water appearing to be the usual colour and no indicators of why the fish were struggling for oxygen.

The council’s head of technical services and performance, Christina Harrhy, said there was a “desperate scramble” to save as many fish as possible.

“It was distressing to see the fish struggling but we are hoping the problem can be resolved quickly,” she said. The council is working with the Environment Agency to determine the cause so further suffering to fish can be prevented.

Gareth Swithin, 43, of Coed Lee, Cwmbran, was one of the volunteers to help in the effort.

“I was shocked to see all the dead fish while out walking my dog and just wanted to do something to help. I’ve been fishing for eight years and it is distressing to see this sort of thing happen.”

Environment Agency staff were at the scene yesterday afternoon, investigating the cause.

The lake was cordoned off and expected to be closed to the public until sometime today, while oxygen levels are restored to normal in the water.