THE THEFT of red diesel from a Welsh Water bowser led to environmental damage to a stream on the England-Wales border.

The incident occurred while Welsh Water conducted emergency repair works to repair a sinkhole on Boundary Lane in Saltney last month.

The red diesel was taken some time during the evening of March 18 or in the early hours of March 19, police said.

And the suspected theft of the red diesel subsequently caused some environmental damage, with a spillage affecting a Saltney stream known as Balderton Brook.

A North Wales Police spokesman said: "We received a call at 10.12am on 19th March regarding the theft of a substantial amount of red diesel from a bowser on Boundary Lane, Saltney.

"During the theft, some of the diesel appears to have spilled into a stream headed towards the River Dee.

"No arrests have currently been made."

Shaun Hingston, Youth Councillor for Saltney, expressed his disgust at the news.

He said: "This is disgusting. Polluting our community is unacceptable and dangerous to people and local wildlife.

"The people responsible need to be prosecuted and our greenspaces and environment better maintained."

If you have any information please contact police by dialling 101 quoting OWL Cymru reference number 19100120218.

If you have any CCTV of the area in question please can it be checked for footage that may assist police.