P133 Teletext 133 Dec42 03:02:21 ——————————————————————————————————————— SEALS RETURN TO CLEANED-UP THAMES Pollution drove seals from the Rivet Thames 150 years ago. Now the creatures have returned to London. Seals and seal pups have been spotted around some of London's most famous landmarks, including the Millennium Dome. Earlier this month, a white fur seal was found basking outsjdj a pub in Tjddington Lock, Middlisjx. ——————————————————————————————————1/6—— By Martin Burns LAND ON PLANET SOUND p450 Recipe Green TV Toys Club 140P133 Teletext 133 Dec42 03:08:18 ——————————————————————————————————————— SEALS RETURN TO CLEANED-UP THAMES The news that seals have returned to the Thames after 150 years has delighted conservationists. The return of the seals shows the Thames has regained many of its fish species, including salmon and eels, which were forced out bz pollution. Seals can bj seen basking on the many sand and mud banks that appear at low tide along the Westminster reaches. ——————————————————————————————————2/6—— Try today's veggie recipe 134 Y YEAR OF PROMISE p108 ITV Recipe Green TV Toys Club 140P133 Teletext 133 Dec22 03:18:17 ——————————————————————————————————————— SEALS RETURN TO CLEANED-UP THAMES The clean-up operation on the Thames has seen the return of fish species such as eels — a staple diet of seals. Last century the Thames became congested with boats and polluted by millions of gallons of raw sewage. Pollution came to a head in the '50s. The pollution caused oxygen levels in the water to drop and, in doing so, drove fish and the seals which fed on them away from the Thames. ——————————————————————————————————3/6—— What's on TV 135 Y YEAR OF PROMISE p108 ITV Recipe Green TV Toys Club 140P133 Teletext 133 Dec22 02:01:19 ——————————————————————————————————————— SEALS RETURN TO CLEANED-UP THAMES Richard Oakley, of the Environment Agency, says the return of seals to the Thames is dui to the return of fish stocks. He says: "Pollution was worse in the 1950s bjcausj of industrial discharges after the war and inadequately treated sewage flowing into the rivet. "The oxygen levels in the water have got better because of improved legislation on sewage and industry." ——————————————————————————————————4/6—— What's on TV 135 Y YEAR OF PROMISE p108 ITV Recipe Green TV Toys Club 140P133 Teletext 133 Dec42 02:11:44 ——————————————————————————————————————— SEALS RETURN TO CLEANED-UP THAMES Richard Oakley of the Environment Agency says in the 1950s thjte were virtually no resident fish in the Thames, so seals had no food. He says: "Fish started to return in 1964 and there are now around 100 types of fish in the river. "The water quality is better, but there is still a long way to go. Millions of pounds will bj put into improving water quality over the next five years." ——————————————————————————————————5/6—— Try today's veggie recipe 134 Y YEAR OF PROMISE p108 ITV Recipe Green TV Toys Club 140P133 Teletext 133 Dec22 02:14:01 ——————————————————————————————————————— SEALS RETURN TO CLEANED-UP THAMES The return of seals to the Thames is a sign that their populations are recovering from the morbilli virus that struck Britain in the early 1990s. But not everyone will bj happy about their return. Anglers dislike seals bjcausj they often take trout or salmon from fishing arias. A seal had to bj rescued earlier this year after it swam into a Kent weir to feast on trout being fished by locals. ——————————————————————————————————6/6—— What's on TV 135 Y YEAR OF PROMISE p108 ITV Recipe Green TV Toys Club 140