People living near a lake said they have been left "broken" and "devastated" following the death of a swan family. Martin England, 62, a Friends of Canvey Lake committee member, described the situation as an "environmental disaster". Sue Schwar, the founder of South Essex Wildlife Hospital, said she was "100% sure" the deaths had been caused by exposure to blue-green algae. I'm devastated. In 1998 Canvey Lake was officially registered as a Local Nature Reserve by the Canvey Island Town Council to protect its wildlife and improve site standards.