THREE of the region's rivers have been hailed by environmental chiefs as being at their cleanest since before the industrial revolution.

The Wear, Ouse and Skerne have all come in for praise from the Environment Agency, following its latest survey on water quality.

The agency's regional water quality specialist Richard Armitage said: "Some of the river improvements have been phenomenal.

"With further improvements earmarked for the next five years we can begin to address issues such as the biological quality of rivers, the achievement of which will establish a healthy food chain for wildlife and fish."

The improvements were announced yesterday by environment minister Michael Meacher, as part of a nationwide survey.

In the North-East region, there was a 28.6 per cent net improvement of all river lengths, compared to 1990.

The report showed the Wear had gone from "fair" to "good" along a 17km stretch, due to a combination of improvements at the Vinovium Sewage Treatment Works, in 1991, and nitrification treatment at Tudhoe Mill Sewage Treatment Works, in 1997.

The River Gaunless Combined Sewage overflow improvements in 1997 were also highlighted.

On the Skerne, improvements in sewage treatment at Stressholme and Aycliffe Sewage Treatment Works have secured 16.3km of better river quality upgraded from "poor" to "fair" from 1990 to 1999.

In Yorkshire, the upper tidal reaches of the Ouse have "improved significantly". This is the result, according to the report, of better quality industrial discharges.

"A scheme at Selby Sewage Treatment Works has also recently been completed and approximately 23km of river length have improved due to the combination of a better treated industrial and sewage effluents," it says.

In some tributaries of the Ouse, juvenile salmon have been discovered, as well as some adults.

Mr Armitage said: "Numbers of migratory sea trout have continued to increase due to improvements in water quality on the River Wear running through Durham and Sunderland, and the river is now a popular fishery.

"However, it is of vital importance that industry is vigilant so these improvements in water quality can be maintained."

Mr Meacher added: "The millions being invested in cleaning our rivers are really bearing fruit."