New Year's Day swimmers given sewage warning

LIB DEMS URGE DUMPING BAN NEAR TO SWIMMING WATERS

- OLIVIER VERGNAULT

THOUSANDS of people hoping to head to their local beach for a New Year's Day swim have been warned that they could be heading to sewage-polluted waters.

Across the country, swimmers flock to beaches and lakes on New Year's Day.

The Liberal Democrats, in collaboration with Cornwall-based environmental campaign group Surfers Against Sewage, have looked at the worst areas affected by sewage spills. Of 32 event locations analysed by the party, there were almost 1,000 sewage spills last year.

Former party leader Tim Farron said there "needs to a ban on sewage dumping in swimming areas".

The MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale added: "The freezing cold water should be the only thing swimmers worry about, not sewage floating by them."

A Surfers Against Sewage annual pollution report found there were 1,924 cases of people getting sick due to suspected sewage pollution over the last year, nearly triple the number of cases reported in the previous year.

Water companies are allowed to discharge untreated sewage into rivers and the sea in extreme weather to avoid the system backing up.