The Bank Holiday Monday downpour made matters worse for Monmouthshire County Council (MCC) Highways staff who had to deal with an oil spill at Monnow Bridge. A minisweeper, used to keep the pavements and roads clear of debris, had broken a hydraulic pipe and the operator carried on unaware he was leaking the oil. Highways staff were alerted to the problem and scattered absorbent granules over the spill in an attempt to stop it running into the drains. But the sheer volume of rainwater meant that some of the fluid ended up going down the gutter. The area was later swept up. Roger Hoggins, head of operations at MCC, said: "At approximately 7.30am on Bank Holiday Monday a hydraulic pipe on a precinct sweeper split, spilling oil on the corner of Blestium Street and Monnow Street. "The driver took the sweeper back to Troy Depot and returned with a larger sweeper. Absorbent granules were applied to the oil and swept up to remove as much as possible. "The clean up of the spill was hampered by heavy rain but work continued on site until the early afternoon by which time operatives felt they had removed as much oil as could practically be achieved. "The area was inspected again this morning (Tuesday 26th August) and while the oil deposit is apparent to see, the area is considered safe. "The precinct sweeper is a 2013 model so the split pipe was unusual but all of the hydraulic pipes are being inspected by the manufacturer as a precaution."

Continued on Page 2 Gary White, environment officer at Natural Resources Wales, said: "Following a report to our hotline of an oil leak from a helpful member of the public in Monmouth yesterday, our officers visited the site to check for signs of pollution. "Officers discovered an oily sheen on the road surface and used absorbent pads to soak up any remaining residue to prevent further pollution entering nearby drains. "After examining the River Monnow, we could see no visible signs of pollution in the water, but we will keep a close eye on the river over the next few days to make sure there are no further problems. "If you see a pollution incident, please report it to our hotline 0800 80 70 60."