BECCLES An outbreak of a highly contagious disease is threatening the future of Britain's endangered white-clawed crayfish, right. Hundreds of dead Turkish crayfish have been found in the River Waveney, near Beccles, Suffolk, in recent weeks. Amanda Elliott, an Environment Agency spokeswoman, said that tests had confirmed an outbreak of the fungus Aphanomyces astaci, or crayfish plague.

Measures are being taken to prevent the disease spreading to rivers populated by the white-clawed crayfish. River users are urged to clean all equipment thoroughly.