Lancashire sewage-polluted sea hampering GB triathlon team

Adam Diver recently became the first person to swim from England to the Isle of Man

Members of the GB triathlon team have had to abandon open water swimming training in Lancashire due to sewage-infected water.

The team includes Adam Diver, who recently became the first person to swim from England to the Isle of Man.

He said training off the coast of Fleetwood has been hampered following a sewage spill in June.

The Environment Agency said it was working hard to protect and improve the waters.

Mr Diver, a former Army captain from Fleetwood, told BBC Radio Lancashire: "The sea gets tested on a daily basis and the results do fluctuate if it's clean or not, so at the moment we're not risking it and we're not swimming in the sea.

"All our swimming training is in the pool, which is ok, but it's not fantastic.

"It's really difficult to replicate what you'd do in open water into a pool. You just don't get the same movement of the water."

He said the team - which also includes Richard Addison and Paul Bamber - have not been in the sea for months and have had to travel to the Lake District to replicate open water conditions.

Kevin Gray, their safety advisor, said it is "absolutely paramount" the team can replicate competition conditions by swimming in the sea.

He said he tests the water daily as it is "vital everything's safe".

Kevin Gray said he tests the water daily as it is "vital everything's safe"

"Adam and the triathlon team need the movement of the sea and the currents and the tides moving along, so it's vital to get in the sea because without that training they don't stand much chance," he said.

"It's a national problem with pollution when we look at our seas, rivers and coastal waters.

"The water firms are saying that the water's safe, however when we're testing it we're finding completely different results.

"Until we get confirmation it's safe, we can't really let Adam and the team out there."

The Environment Agency said during the bathing water season it carries out a robust sampling programme and continues regulating and holding polluters to account.

A spokesman said: "We are absolutely clear that polluting our seas and rivers is unacceptable and we will take tough action against companies which break the rules."

Adam Diver, Richard Addison and Paul Bamber will represent Great Britain in the World Triathlon Championships in Pontevedra, Spain, on 22-24 September.