Crayfish found stranded on path after river burst its banks in Cwmbran during Storm Dennis

While walking in Llanyravon fields near Croesyceiliog, Christine and Gary Ramsay found what they believe was an American Signal Crayfish on the footpath just through the gateway of Girling club in Croesyceiliog.

“When we got up on Sunday morning the river was so high, we’d not seen it that high before so I suggested we put on our boots and go and have a look,” said Mrs Ramsay.

READ MORE:

• More heavy snow forecast for region by Met Office - when and where?
• Signpost from campsite near Monmouth washes up 40 miles downstream after Storm Dennis wreaks havoc.
• Urgent restoration of Monmouthshire flood defence 'critical', says MP.

“As we were walking down a man came up with his two dogs and said there was a crayfish on the path.

“He took us down to see it. We found him there on the path. He was about five inches long.

“Our sons are keen fishermen, so I sent a picture of it to them, and they came straight back and said it was an American Signal Crayfish.

(The American Signal Crayfish spotted washed up on the footpath in Cwmbran. Picture: Christine Ramsay )

“You hear so many stories about these being a nuisance in our rivers and had seen them on Countryfile.

“We know they’re a nuisance but felt we had to put him back into the river.

“We couldn’t just leave him to die on there on the path.”

The crayfish were first introduced to Great Britain in 1976 as a popular seafood, however, they brought with them a fungal disease called ‘crayfish plague’, which was damaging to the native white-clawed crayfish.

The Canals and River Trust say that in high densities, they burrow into riverbanks, causing extensive damage while eating most of the plants and small animals within the waterways.