ANNA Valley Trout farm has been forced to close after a sewage pipe leak.

A crack in the pipe led to sewage leaking to the surface. No fish were effected by this incident but if it had happened at a different time of year there could have been major consequences because the leaking pipe was running under the hatchery. At this time of year the hatchery is empty.

The farm has been closed for three weeks because Southern Water had to knock the Hatchery down, repair the pipe and rebuilt it again.

Despite recognition from the Foods Standards Agency that there are no food safety issues for their products either chemically or microbiologically, the farm has decided to stay closed for the time being. Mr Murphy from Anna Valley Trout Farm said: "When you are dealing in food you have to be very very careful."