A BLACK spill seeping into the River Cherwell is to be investigated by the Environment Agency.

The problem was spotted on Friday on the stretch of the river east of the Spiceball Country Park in Banbury.

John Robinson, of local environmental organisation PROBE, said: "Our observer on the job says he has actually seen a dog being made sick so it could be quite important.

"There are no ducks or moorhens on that part of the river and there usually are. It may have killed them.

"There is a possibility that it is toxic but we can't be sure."

A spokesman for the Environment Agency said officers would visit the site.