WATER quality tests on samples from a stream near a foot-and-mouth mass burial site have revealed high levels of pollution.

Four samples taken earlier this month from Hedleyhope Beck, which runs below the site at Tow Law, County Durham, were passed to scientists at Sunderland University, who confirmed it had been contaminated by abnormal levels of pollution, fuelling campaigners' fears that effluent from rotting carcasses is leaking into the beck.

But the Environment Agency, which took its own samples shortly after the independent tests, said life-sustaining oxygen levels in the beck were fine.

Concerned residents took the samples amid rumours that dead fish had been found floating in the nearby River Browney.

Peter Lister, who lives near the beck in Cornsay Colliery, said: "This is our worst nightmare. We have always said that, long term, we were concerned that the people living below the site would suffer the environmental impact."

Mr Lister claimed the pollution could only have come from the burial site at nearby Inkerman.

The Environment Agency says it has no proof that the contamination came from the site.

Its spokesman, David Edwardson, said: "We were notified by Peter Lister that he had taken samples on August 10. We went out the following morning and at that time the stream was clear. The oxygen levels were okay.''

The Sunderland University report said a beck such as Hedleyhope would be expected to have readings of biological oxygen demand (BOD) of between zero and five milligrammes per litre.

But samples from Hedleyhope Beck showed readings as high as 90mg/l, down to 5mg/l further downstream.

The standard demanded for a river receiving treated sewage effluent is 20mg/l.

Mr Lister said campaigners had little faith in the agency.

He said: "We have made a formal complaint and the Environment Agency should now be carrying out a full investigation as to how and why this has happened."

The independent report will be put to the Department of Food and Rural Affairs at a community liaison meeting at Tow Law today.

Durham County Councillor Jo Armstrong said he would be going along to demand answers.

He said: "The people around here want to know what is going on.''

Read more about foot-and-mouth here.