They have no home to go to (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

They have no home to go to

Paul Bradbury, with one of the koi carp. Ref: 99420-24 SENIOR figures from Swindon police station are being held in custody with no date of release.

Several underwater residents of the fish pond at the old police station have been taken into quarantine by a local firm and health and safety rules mean they could be there a long time.

Paul Bradbury, 39, of Swindon Pond Clean, is currently looking after a 33-year-old koi carp, seven orf fish, and three goldfish.

Confusion exists over the design of the new pond at Gablecross, which is located at the entrance to the new police station.

There are no plans to rebuild the structure at this stage, but Mr Bradbury said that the fish would not be able to move into their new home until vital changes had been made.

He said: "The pond is far too shallow. Koi carp ponds should be at least four feet deep, and the new one is only two and half feet. The fish will suffer in such a small space."

And health and safety further threatens the lives of the old residents.

"Health and safety regulations require ponds to have a child safety grid.

"The grid should be just below the surface, but it is six to eight inches under water."

This means that the valuable fish will be unable to reach the surface oxygen that is vital for buoyancy. "Without the oxygen, the fish will just take on water, and die like we do.

"They would quite literally drown in their own water.The quarantine period should be no longer than 14 days, or the fish will become ill."

And while any work is being carried out, the fish are losing valuable time to get used to the winter temperatures.

"They are currently being kept in a heated tank, which is much warmer than the natural pond temperature."

A report detailing the faults with the pond was sent yesterday to Vinci, the company responsible for the new police building. Neither Vinci nor Swindon Police would comment on the proposals.