Thousands of fish have been rescued from a lake after seven undisturbed years.

The Environment Agency, working alongside Bradford Council, removed the fish from Bradford Moor Park's lake to save them from low oxygen levels - a consequence of unusually warm weather last year.

An estimated 20 per cent of the fish died last summer because of higher temperatures, and seven years have passed since the waters were last de-stocked. But there were still plenty of fish to rescue yesterday.

Children from Killinghall Primary School watched as roach and goldfish were pulled from the lake with huge nets.

The lake covers 500 square metres which meant the lake had to be emptied in two stages.

Pat Rogers-Thomas, a teacher at Killinghall Primary School, said: "We hope the children have learned to take more care of their environment. Now they know the lake has fish in it, hopefully they will put their crisp packets in the bin and not pollute the lake."

Sixty children aged five and six saw masses of fish being lifted from the lake into tanks on the back of a truck.

Three Council workers followed the Environment Agency officers and weeded out plastic bags, crisp packets and twigs.

Pupil Madeeha Zaim said: "The rubbish is dirty and not good for the fish, it'll make them poorly."

Another pupil, Marva Bibi, said: "Fish are nice, I will put my crisp packet in the bin now."

The fish are being taken to new homes in the district so they can thrive again.

Environment Agency fisheries officer Pete Turner, part of a team of six at the lake, said: "The park lake has little suitable habitat for the fish with no cover for them to hide in or spawn.

"We are moving the fish into other local waters which will be more beneficial to the health of the fish and prevent deaths in the future."

Councillor Ghazanfer Khaliq (Lab, Bradford Moor) said: "Hopefully this event will show people what is here on their doorsteps.

"Personally, I didn't realise just how many fish there were here."

Two tanks of fish have been transported from the park to the Leeds-Liverpool Canal in Shipley and to a lake in Harold Park, Low Moor.

Graeme Atkins, of Bradford Council's Parks and Landscapes service, said: "Our lakes need to be de-stocked every three years to sustain their fish populations. About 75 per cent of the lake's fish have been removed, but we'll keep them in Bradford for the angling clubs.

"Ornamental lakes are ideal breeding ground for fish. Over the years people have caught fish in the canal and brought them here where they have multiplied."

e-mail: ben.barnett@bradford.newsquest.co.uk