(Commonwealth_Europe) Thick white foam still floats along parts of the River Thet in Thetford, turning heads and sparking concern among residents who came out to see what had happened. While the strange sight has raised plenty of questions, officials say there’s no cause for alarm, the source of the foam has been found, and further discharge has been stopped.
The Environment Agency, which rushed to the scene on Friday, confirmed that its teams have been working around the clock to trace where the foam came from. Samples have been collected, and early checks suggest that a third party was responsible, though the exact cause of the discharge is still being investigated.
“Environment Agency officers are continuing to investigate the cause of a large volume of foam found in the River Thet in the center of Thetford yesterday,” a spokesperson said. “Our specialist teams have collected samples, detected the possible source, and prevented any further discharge. There will be an ongoing investigation to make sure this doesn’t happen again.”
Officials also warned that a second wave of foam might appear as the residue travels downstream, though they stressed that it’s expected to have only a minor environmental impact and will eventually disappear naturally. However, the agency has urged locals to remain vigilant and report any fish in distress, as a precautionary measure.
Anglian Water, which has been helping on-site, said it was assisting the Environment Agency’s investigation. “One of our managers is on-site helping the Environment Agency with their checks, which will then go back to the third party responsible,” a spokeswoman said.
The foam’s presence has sparked plenty of curiosity among people in Thetford, with some stopping to take pictures while others voiced concerns about the health of the river and wildlife. For now, both agencies are reassuring residents that the situation is under control and that steps are being taken to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
Teams on the ground have responded quickly to contain the situation before it could worsen, even though the cause is still under investigation. As the foam slowly drifts away, the community is left hoping the river, a familiar and much-loved feature of Thetford, will soon return to its usual calm, clear state.
