The nationally acclaimed and award-winning Spring Street nature reserve in Midsomer Norton still has warning signs that the water features are contaminated.

On March 6 about 25 gallons had leaked from a train at the adjacent Midsomer Norton heritage station.

The Somerset and Dorset Railway said that one of the engines was involved in an unforeseen shunt and the diesel leeched into the ballast at the station and from there into the water course. They reported the leak to the Environment Agency who sent a team to the reserve. They reported back that the diesel in the water course and pond would break down. However as of today (May 4) the warning signs were still up.

Dog owners in particular were warned not to let their animals into the pond and river. According to a veterinary site if a dog takes in just over a tablespoon of diesel for each pound of body weight, they could suffer from diarrhoea and vomiting.

Silver Street Local Nature Reserve contains a woodland, a meadow, a pond and babbling springs. There are indications that there has been a woodland on the site for hundreds of years.

Tree species include oak, ash, hazel and it is thought that it was traditionally managed as a coppice and right now the area is awash with Ramsons (wild garlic).

Originally the nature reserve would have been part of the estate connected to a large house, which was demolished in the 1930's. The only structural sign of this that remains is a stone spring head within the wood 

Earlier this week there was also a report that one of the benches in the reserve had been daubed with offensive graffiti.