VALUABLE Koi Carp saved once by firefighters could be left to die after being dumped in Blenheim Park.

The fish have been left in the clay hole tangled in reeds and without enough water.

Cleo Locke, who lives on Avondale Drive, Leigh, explained: “At first I thought there were just two, but it was only a few days ago we counted 30.

“They’ve clearly been left there, which is disgraceful as it’s so shallow, and these fish have little more than a few inches of water, half in and half out of the water.

“They will die if they stay there.”

Kind hearted firefighters helped fill the hole temporarily.

Cleo said: “They really were heroic and deserve to be credited.

“However, this is only a temporary solution. When it gets back to the hot weather and dries up, they will be left with very little water once again.

“We are crying out for help. They’re wildlife at the end of the day and deserve to live.

Councillor Keith Evans, ward member for Blenheim Park on Southend Council, said: “This is something I have flagged up with the officers. It’s completely irresponsible, as this hole is simply part of the pond’s draining system and only fills with water in wet weather.

“I’ve been informed by the park services manager that we can’t locate them to another pond, as this can only be done with a licence and often is a factor in spreading infection. This is why we lost so many fish in Southchurch Park.

“Nobody wants to see these fish suffer, so we are hunting for another solution. I will be following this up.”

A council spokesman said: “We are aware of a number of fish being dumped in Blenheim Park.

“We ask that unwanted fish are rehomed appropriately and not released into our lakes and ponds. We also would ask that people do not place native species including tadpoles in our ponds and lakes as this can also spread diseases.”