A HAMPSHIRE fishery owner is determined to battle on with a little help from some dirt and rubble after floodwater caused a dam to collapse and almost emptied his four-acre lake.

Millions of gallons of water went gushing out of Leominstead Trout Lake at Emery Down, near Lyndhurst, when recent torrential downpours took their toll.

With the water went hundreds of fish, some of them weighing up to 15 pounds. But proprietor Neil Branscombe is bouncing back, and he is inviting anyone with unwanted and uncontaminated dirt, rubble or clay to take it along to the lake.

People normally have to pay to get rid of rubble, but Mr Branscombe is happy to allow them to dispose of it free, as long as he can plug the gaping 20 feet chasm at the end of his lake.

He said: "I've been told I need about 500 tons, so I'm keen to hear from anyone with good rubble and clay, in small amounts or large amounts. Every little helps, and I've got a massive great area where they can dump it."

He can be contacted on 02380 282610. Mr Branscombe has already been offered as many dense rubber blocks as he wants from a firm in Essex, and has been in touch with another firm which may have rubble.

The former London printer took over Leominstead 12 years ago and, with rainbow trout up to 19 lb 2 ozs having been caught there in recent years, it is one of Hampshire's premier trout lakes.

He was able to save some of the fish, but with the lake now reduced to a small pond, they have been taken to the safety of a trout farm while the dam is rebuilt. He then intends to replace the fish which were lost and reopen in March or April.

*The collapsed dam was not Mr Branscombe's only problem during the storms. He has now got a 50ft chestnut tree leaning against the side of his house.