Chichester Harbour water 'poisoned' by storm overflow spills

A young sailor has written to Southern Water demanding the firm stops spilling sewage into the sea she loves.

Ruthie, 13, from Emsworth, Hampshire, says she has been told many times, by adults, not to go in the water where she sails.

This is because Southern Water use the area for storm overflow - a process where sewage and rain water is released into the sea without treatment.

Water companies are allowed to do this as a way of preventing sewers becoming blocked by heavy rainfall.

But Ruthie says it is "poisoning" the water and has written to the company.

Report by James Ingham

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