An invasive water plant is putting the lives of fish at risk in Hythe.

Azolla filiculoides, an invasive water fern, is causing issues in sections of the Royal Military Canal, between Palmarsh and West Hythe.

It has also been found in the stretch between Twiss Road Bridge and Palmarsh Bridge.

The floating aquatic fern has a very fast growth, and is capable of spreading over surfaces to give complete coverage of the water in only a few months.

Folkestone and Hythe District Council's (FHDC) grounds maintenance teams are working with the Environment Agency to control the situation.

The authority says the plant can bring about a risk to aquatic life because "fish can become distressed due to a lack of oxygen when the weed becomes too thick".

Measures in place to remove the fern include gathering and removing masses of the plant from the water and disposing of them on the canal bank where they die off.

KMTV reports on the issue

This method is successful but progress can be very slow as the fern reproduces by fragmentation and can colonise new areas very quickly.

The council says a weevil species has also been identified as potential biological control agents for water fern, and it is hoped these can be introduced into the area in the near future.

Residents and visitors who are using the canal are also being asked to do their bit by checking, cleaning and drying their equipment before leaving the area.

This will prevent the release of the plant into other water courses, and hopefully stop the spread.

A spokesman for FHDC said: "We are working closely with the Environment Agency to monitor the situation and resolve it as quickly as possible.

"Unfortunately this natural occurrence does bring about a risk to aquatic life - mainly fish that can become distressed due to a lack of oxygen when the weed becomes too thick.

"Anyone who sees anything of this nature, or any other environmental incidents, should call the Environment Agency incident hotline number on 0800 80 70 60."