The East Okement River remains contaminated seven months after the initial diesel spill despite the recent storms and rainfall, Okehampton Town Council has said this week.

The river became contaminated in April this year after a train hit a deer breaking the fuel cap and spilling red diesel into the water.

The fast-flowing water quickly moved the spill downstream but the surrounding soil had become heavily contaminated forcing the park to cordon off sections of the river. A boom was then installed to catch any pollutants washed into the river. However, this year’s dry summer delayed clean-up operations as the diesel cannot be collected unless rain has washed the fuel through the soil and into the water.

Since the heatwave, Okehampton has experienced some heavy rain and a wetter October, but the town council reported earlier this week that there was still “a considerable amount” of diesel present.

A spokesperson for the council added that a consultant had examined the area and determined that the recent rainfall had washed a considerable amount away but new booms and pads needed to be installed to catch the remaining pollutants.

Experts have now installed the new booms and will check them weekly and remove any debris.

The council has reassured residents that the brown foam seen around the booms is not diesel but rotting vegetation, and has asked that people and dogs stay away from the water.

The Environment Agency’s October 23–29 report recorded 87mm of rain across the south-west of England. It said the two storms (Storm Austen and Storm Boelo) made it England’s wettest reporting week since October 2024.