A SPECIAL working party is to be set up by Petersfield town councillors to look at ways of cleaning up the town's Heath Pond after an estimated £19,000 worth of fish died as a result of suspected algae poisoning. Canada geese have also fallen victim, with at least seven being found dead around the pond. And the pond, which was closed to all activities, including fishing and boating, two weeks ago, is to remain closed until further notice. Last week, members of the town council's grounds committee agreed to set up the special group on the advice of town clerk Neil Hitch. Reporting on the latest developments at last week's council meeting, Mr Hitch told councillors that, as far as the geese were concerned, Defra (Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) had ruled out salmonella and acid toxins, but was still testing for other forms of poisoning. "We still don't know for sure what killed the fish, but we believe it was this algae poisoning. We are will waiting for the results of tests." Mr Hitch said the fish were still dying in the pond this week, but in smaller numbers. He said the possible long-term solutions to the algae problem included the use of ultrasound, which would cost around £5,500 to install. Another solution was to dredge the lake, but the costs would be astronomical. Councillors said they needed to know how much silt there was in the pond and some form of geophysical investigation could produce answers. Former mayor Brian Dutton told them: "I dived into that lake in l973 and I can't even snorkel in it now." Mr Hitch recommended the setting up of a special group, including the chairman and vice-chairman of the grounds committee, an Environment Agency representative and representatives from Petersfield and District Angling Club, as well as the boat concessionaire. The chairman of the grounds committee, Chris Jenner, told fellow members: "The answer to this problem is not going to be obvious and it is going to be expensive." • Petersfield town councillors are discouraging the feeding of ducks close to Heath Pond and boat concessionaire Ken Heppell is not selling duck food from his kiosk on the Heath.