An investigation has launched after reports of an oil spillage at a slipway in Portaferry, Co Down.

Launched by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA), the probe will examine gallons of diesel which have been leaking from a moored boat near Cook Street.

The fuel tanks on the vessel are believed to have contained around 1,000 litres of diesel fuel.

The NIEA Water Management Unit and DAERA Marine and Fisheries Division are working closely with Ards and North Down Borough Council and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency in response to the sinking of this vessel. Ards and North Down Borough Council have called in specialist consultants in oil clean-up to manage the response to the incident.

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Alliance candidate Kellie Armstrong said: "Strangford Lough is environmentally sensitive, so I have asked the Council a number of times to raise my concerns but no action has been taken. The Northern Ireland Environmental Agency have pledged to check the scene but we are still waiting for that to take place.

"This has the potential to damage the specific and important Strangford Lough environment, and therefore I ask all relevant agencies treat this as an urgent case."

(CD/LM)