Dead fish float on surface of canal after toxic chemical spill in Walsall

A major incident has been declared following a toxic chemical spillage in a canal in the West Midlands.

Walsall Council said the Environment Agency was testing the canal water for sodium cyanide and other chemicals in the affected area.

Footage broadcast on Sky News appears to show dead fish floating on the surface of the canal.

The council warned that there is a potential serious health risk to anyone who has had direct physical contact with the water in the impacted stretch of the canal.

Exposure to sodium cyanide can cause headaches, nausea, dizziness, confusion, changes in heart rate and loss of consciousness, according to the UK Health Security Agency.