Wytch Farm has been at the centre of a major incident in the past couple of days after an oil leak occurred there.

The public is being urged to avoid using the water and beaches within Poole Harbour as a result.

Poole Harbour Commissioners (PHC), the harbour regulator, said a leak occurred at a pipeline operated by gas company Perenco, under Ower Bay on Sunday, March 26.

This resulted in approximately 200 barrels of “reservoir fluid” being released from Wytch Farm, which was consisting of 85 per cent water and 15 per cent oil.

Here's all the information you need to know about Wytch Farm oilfield.

Bournemouth Echo: The reservoir fluid leak occurred on Sunday, March 26The reservoir fluid leak occurred on Sunday, March 26 (Image: Chris Ison/PA Wire/PA Images)

What is Wytch Farm?

Wytch Farm is an oil field and processing facility which takes its name from the neighbouring farm of the same name.

The field was discovered by the British government-owned British Gas Corporation in December 1973.

It is the largest onshore oil field in the UK and in western Europe and has been producing oil since 1979.

Where can you find Wytch Farm?

It is located in a forest on Wytch Heath which is on the southern shore of Poole Harbour.

Who operates Wytch Farm and what do they do there?

The facility is currently operated by the oil and gas company Perenco, which took over from BP in 2011.

Natural gas and natural gas liquids are extracted from the oil field and the site also processes oil from other Dorset oilfields such as Wareham and Kimmeridge Oil Field.