The Environment Agency has issued a warning after thousands of fish died in the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads.

It is estimated 25,000 have been found dead after storm tides earlier this week sent seawater flooding into the region’s freshwater river. About 20,000 fish were found in one dyke at Acle.

A spokesman for the Environment Agency said officials are working to calculate the damage done to the sensitive system in the River Chet, Bure and Yare.

And they warned any anglers or members of the public to report distressed fish to their hotline.

In the days since the bad weather, specialists have been on the River Thurne monitoring the levels of seawater and checking fish stocks.

Norfolk and north Suffolk withstood the force of former Hurricane Gonzalo as it swept across the country.

Emergency service workers and volunteers were on the scene on the north Norfolk coast, many homes were left without electricity and trees blocked roads.

Just last year freshwater fish were killed by a salt tide surging up the river Thurne and Environment Agency staff were forced to mount a rescue mission in Potter Heigham.

In 2007, thousands of fish in the river Yare died when November storms drove the sea tides higher than normal up the river.

It was described as one of worst incidents of fish deaths from natural causes in the Norfolk Broads in the last 15 years.

The Thurne barrier in Potter Heigham means hundreds of thousands of fish can be protected.

If anyone see signs of fish in distress they are asked to call the Environment Agency on 0800 807060.