Protected River Lugg was 'bulldozed'

The Environment Agency said it had "used its powers of entry" to attend an incident at a river, amid claims a protected stretch of river was "bulldozed".

Herefordshire Wildlife Trust (HWT) described the damage caused to the River Lugg in the county as a "crime against the environment".

The trust said it had "huge repercussions for wildlife downstream".

West Mercia Police said it was assisting with an investigation.

The trust said all bankside and riverside habitats had been "completely obliterated", after the river and its banks were "bulldozed, straightened and re-profiled into a sterile canal".

Wildlife affected by the damage of the one-mile stretch (1.5km) includes crayfish, otters and salmon, lampreys and dragonflies and a host of rare river wildlife, the HWT added.

Dave Throup, area manager for the Environment Agency, said: "We are treating this very seriously along with Natural England and the Forestry Commission who have taken immediate action in an attempt to prevent any further works at the site."

He said they were "mounting a wide-ranging investigation" with other agencies and he was unable to comment further.

The wildlife trust said it hoped for a prosecution after it claimed a 16-tonne bulldozer was used by people "well aware" the river was a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

Commenting on the damage, HWT chief executive Helen Stace said: "A large stretch of one of the UK's most important rivers, the Lugg, has been devastated, with dire consequences for wildlife and water quality downstream - this is a tragedy.

"The bankside trees are all grubbed out and burnt, the river gravels have been scraped away, and the beautiful meanders of the river have been straightened and re-profiled.

"This is a crime against the environment. Swift action needs to be taken."

She added she expected the case to be dealt with in a "serious and robust manner".

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