by Thom Morris

tmorris@thekmgroup.co.uk

Goldfish being released into ponds in Kent are threatening to wipe out smaller fish and newts.

Hundreds of the family favourite are breeding and growing in the waters around Hoads Wood and The Warren, in Ashford's Green Corridor.

Ashford area warden Ian Rickards, from the Kent Wildlife Trust, said: “It’s my guess that people are finding they’ve got too many fish in their pond at home and they don’t want to flush them down the loo so they get liberated in the nearest nature reserve.

“The thing is that once released they breed, they get bigger and there are hundreds and hundreds of them.”

He continued: “These ponds aren’t designed to have that number of predators swimming around and they’re eating the smaller fish and the great crested newts. You won’t find any of them in that pond because the goldfish eat all the eggs.”

Mr Rickards says he is researching the problem to find the best way to reduce the number of fish and allow other species to survive.

Have you seen goldfish in unusual ponds? Add to the debate below.