Fears that chemical spill has affected returning guillemots

A DEVASTATING chemical spill is thought to have affected the number of guillemots returning to breed in the Bailiwick.

It is predicted that at least some of the birds have been killed in the spill of PIB, or polyisobutene, off the south coast of England earlier this year.

Concerns were heightened when colonies were late arriving back to their breeding spots off Herm, Sark and Alderney, but a small number have now been spotted in the Bailiwick.

La Societe Guernesiaise conservation officer Jamie Hooper said it might have been the cold weather that had caused the late arrival of the guillemots and hoped that more would return in the coming days.