Oxygen pumped into Kirby Muxloe Castle moat to save fish

The Environment Agency said oxygen was pumped into the moat at Kirby Muxloe Castle after reports that fish were in distress. Officers were called to the Leicestershire site on 30 August and found dissolved oxygen levels in the moat were “very low.” English Heritage, which manages the castle, said oxygen pumps were used for about two weeks to help the fish. Its spokesperson said the Environment Agency suggested hot weather followed by thunderstorms may have contributed to the drop in oxygen. English Heritage alerted the Kirby Muxloe 87 fishing club and the Environment Agency, and together they used pumps to oxygenate the water. After the intervention, oxygen levels improved and the effort ended last week, with monitoring continuing. The agency cited warm water and summer storms as factors that can reduce oxygen and carry pollutants into waterways.