Around 160 fish were re-introduced into a much-loved village pond after it was drained to rid it of an illegal species.

Brenchley and Matfield Parish Council said it is “wonderful” to see tench, perch, rudd and roach back in the water at Matfield, near Paddock Wood, after they were released yesterday (April 29).

Last year, Prussian carp, an invasive species from east Asia and central Europe, was found in the pond and an enforcement notice to remove them was issued by the Environment Agency.

They are considered a risk to native fish and importing them or releasing them in the wild in England is banned.

The notice added: “They can hybridise with other carp... and the females can produce clones of themselves by utilising the sperm of other fish to activate egg development.

“This and the wide range of habitat and food they can use can lead them to dominate waters they are introduced to.”

For this reason, the government agency told the local authority, which maintains the green, that it needed to “eradicate” the fish and councillors decided to take the opportunity to do extra work to sustain its future.

Speaking at the time, a spokesperson for Brenchley and Matfield Parish Council said it was not clear how the carp ended up in the pond but it was possible someone thought they were doing a good deed by releasing them but it had actually turned into a “disaster”.

Therefore, work started to remove the Prussian carp – of which there were thought to be several tons – in September.

This included draining the water, covering the bottom of the pond with hydrated lime before digging deeper pockets of water, working on the islands, creating areas for wildlife, adding land drains and replanting wildflower seeds and lilies.

The £20,000 project finished late last year and the 0.6-acre pond was left to refill with rainwater.

Councillors then decided fish would be re-introduced and 160 tench, perch, rudd and roach were released yesterday afternoon.

Chairman of the Brenchley and Matfield Parish Council, Jonathan Buttery, said: “It is wonderful to see the pond being stocked once again with 30 tench, 30 perch and 100 roach and rudd.

“This marks the completion of the project and, as the planting matures, the pond and surrounding area will look better and better.

“The long-term maintenance plan now in place will keep it all in good order and we very much hope the steps taken to make the water deeper will alleviate the problems seen with the pond drying out in recent hot summers.

“Sincere thanks are due to all involved for their hard work and valuable contributions, particularly Richard Groves, RG Fisheries and JS Fisheries.”

Only children under the age of 16, who live in the parish, will be allowed to fish at the pond and anyone over the age of 13 will require a licence.

It will also be regularly monitored by resident and appointed pond guardian Richard Groves to oversee fishing and the yearly maintenance programme.