Henley: Pollution found in river before Royal Regatta

High levels of phosphates, nitrates and harmful bacteria were detected in June by environmental charity River Action

River pollution posing a risk to health was found in tests in the River Thames shortly before Henley Royal Regatta, campaigners have said.

High levels of phosphates, nitrates and harmful bacteria were detected in June by environmental charity River Action.

Regatta chairman Sir Steve Redgrave said he was "deeply concerned" by sewage pollution in the river.

Thames Water said it would upgrade Henley Sewage Treatment Works by 2025, reducing discharges in wet weather.

Regatta chairman Sir Steve Redgrave said sewage pollution at Henley was a "deep concern"

River Action said levels of E. coli bacteria spiked on 20 June when it rained, posing a "significant health risk" to water users.

High levels of intestinal enterococci bacteria - another marker of human or animal faeces - were also detected.

A week later, hundreds of rowers began to compete at the famous regatta.

"Ecologically damaging" levels of phosphates and nitrates were found in most of the samples taken over the four weeks of testing, the charity added.

It concluded: "The testing demonstrates that the Henley mile is severely blighted by sewage pollution."

The charity River Action said the stretch of river was in a "dire state"

The charity's chief executive James Wallace said: "The results of this citizen science prove the dire state of England's capital river. Wildlife along the Thames is collapsing and river users are at serious risk."

The charity said if bathing water standards were applied to the river, the rainfall on 20 June would have taken its designation from "good" to "poor".

Sir Steve said: "At Henley Royal Regatta, we are deeply concerned about the impact that sewage pollution is having on our beautiful river.

"I canoe from my home town of Marlow at Longridge. Sometimes you can see from the colour of the water that there has been a discharge - it's not somewhere I would ever want to fall in."

Thames Water said: "We regard all discharges of untreated sewage as unacceptable.

"We recently announced our plans to invest £1.6bn on our sewage treatment works and networks over the next two years and are striving every day to reduce the discharge of untreated sewage into our rivers."

Regatta clean-up

Despite the pollution, litter-pickers found there was relatively little rubbish left after the regatta, compared to previous events.

Henley stewards and environmental campaigner Lynne Lambourne worked with local schoolchildren and residents to clean up the River Thames with small teams of paddleboarders.

Ms Lambourne said: "People's behaviour is changing, they are taking accountability for the way they recycle and bin things."

Former Olympic gold medallist and current Henley steward Greg Searle told the BBC: "...there's not much left this year. I think it is because we didn't allow single-use plastic within the stewards enclosure, we've only used proper china."