Worries about contaminated water flooding out of an abandoned mine and into the Fal Estuary have lessened.

Following a week of heavy rainfall Environment Agency staff were alerted to a potential issue at Wheal Jane, an abandoned mine near Baldhu, Cornwall last night.

The site operator, Veolia Ltd, reported rising mine water in the main mineshaft.

In normal circumstances, mine water leaving the site is pumped and treated to control pollution. Seven pumps were working at full capacity at the site, but water levels were still rising in the disused mine shaft following the exceptionally heavy rainfall.

An additional pump lowered into the mine by the fire service has now helped reduce the water levels.

The Environment Agency, working with the site operator and the coal authority, who manage the treatment of water from the mine, are continuing to monitor the volume and water quality.

If the mine water levels in the shaft continued to rise faster than the pumps can abstract the water then there was a possibility that some of the water could leave the mine and enter the Carnon River untreated.

The Environment Agency also worked closely with partners in Natural England, Cornwall Council, Marine Management Organisation, Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities and the Health Protection Agency, to quantify and manage the possible impacts of any contaminated mine water impacting on the river Carnon and Fal estuary.

The Fal Estuary is a designated marine Special Area of Conservation, with sensitive coral maerl and eel grass beds. The estuary also contains a number of designated shellfish beds for oysters and mussels.