THOUSANDS of fish are in danger of becoming homeless after lakes they were to be moved to were found to be contaminated.

Dartford Council intended to give 15,000 carp, bream and roach from the borough's Littlebrook Lake to the Dartford and District Angling Preservation Society.

It needs to re-home the fish in the next month to make way for a £400m development in Bob Dunn Way, known as the Bridge.

The society, which has 3,000 members, wanted to release the fish across its lakes at Horton Kirby, Medway and Sutton-at-Hone.

But the deal came to a halt when site developer Prologis was informed by the Environment Agency the lakes were contaminated with category 2 parasites.

The fish, estimated to be worth millions of pounds, could be killed by the parasites.

The council and Prologis are now desperate to find a new home for the fish.

Prologis vice-president Paul Weston said: "We are very keen to find new homes for the fish as soon as possible. It is our intention to keep them within Dartford but this may not be possible."

"Not to give the fish to the society was a difficult decision but I am certain all the anglers will agree the welfare of the fish must be our primary concern."

Society chairman Craig Lions disputes the problem of parasites and is still hopeful the deal will be put back on track.

The 34-year-old sales negotiator said: "We have been going since 1931 and our stocks have always been clean.

"The Environment Agency has not had a problem in the past.

"Of course we want the best for the fish but there is nothing wrong with our waters.

"We want the fish to stay in the borough and are having ongoing discussions to sort this out."

A new home for the fish would have to be big enough to accommodate them all.

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