Shrewsbury protest held over River Severn 'sewage'

Protesters marched from Coton Hill to the Quarry Park in Shrewsbury

A march has been held to highlight what organisers say is sewage being discharged into the River Severn.

About 100 people marched from Coton Hill to Quarry Park in Shrewsbury, Shropshire.

Campaign group Up Sewage Creek said it wanted water companies to keep rivers "healthy so we can enjoy them for years to come".

Severn Trent Water said it had been in contact with the group to discuss its river health pledges.

The protest follows an uproar over the dumping of sewage in the UK's waterways.

Last week, figures from the Environment Agency reported 62 "serious pollution incidents" in England last year, up from 44 the year before as performance on pollution fell to the lowest level since 2013.

Severn Trent Water, however, was among three water companies it awarded the highest rating of four stars for its performance.

Up Sewage Creek said it was calling on water companies to maintain the health of waterways

The protest was held before the town's Dragon Boat Festival, which returns after a two-year break due to the pandemic.

Claire Kirby from Up Sewage Creek said: "We're thrilled that the wonderful Dragon Boat Festival is returning to the River Severn after a two-year hiatus.

"Sadly, though, in the time since the festival was last held, the quality of England's rivers has gotten steadily worse.

"If we want to keep using rivers like the Severn for leisure and pleasure, we need to stop the water companies from treating them like a toilet."

A Severn Trent spokesperson said it was working to use combined sewage overflows less and was investing £100m a year to improve rivers.

Its rivers, it said, were currently the healthiest they had been since the Industrial Revolution.

"We're passionate about making a positive impact on the communities and the environment where we live and work," it added.