Live fish are being removed from Abbey Fields lake as concerns continue about the number of fish dying during the hot weather.

The Environment Agency confirmed that permission had been given for the fish to be removed and taken to Lavender Hall Fishery in Balsall Common.

Volunteers, who have been keeping the water aerated since last Friday, began moving the fish yesterday (August 15) and are continuing today.

Approximately 650 fish have been removed so far.

An Environment Agency spokesperson said: "We can confirm that permission has been granted for the fish to be removed from the Abbey Pool in Kenilworth and taken to a permitted site as it is not contrary to the byelaws. 

"However, as previously stated, we have advised of an associated risk of moving fish stocks in warmer weather and of moving them to waters where there are existing fish stocks due to the risk from disease."

The fish are being taken to Lavender Hall Fishery in Balsall Common (image by Richard Smith)

The Environment Agency has given permission for the fish to be moved (image by Richard Smith)

Speaking to Nub News yesterday, one of the volunteers Darren Rees said that once the fish had been removed a great deal of repair work would be needed on the lake.

"We are working on the idea of getting the fish out and unsure of how much rain there will be in the coming days," he said.

"This will need a lot of repairing, there needs to be work done in here. 

"We want to work with organisations to get this sorted and fixed while there are no fish in there."

Warwick District Council has been approached for comment.

But last week the local authority said it had ruled out the possibility of removing the fish.

"We have also been advised that relocating fish would not only be difficult to carry out due to the lakes current low level, the fish wouldn't survive being transported in extreme heat," a council spokesperson said.

Approximately 650 fish have so far been removed (image by Richard Smith)

Warwick District Council had previously ruled out the possilbity of removing the fish (image by Richard Smith)