Canoe club's plea to stop sewage gushing into River Trent

The Stafford and Stone Canoe Club has said it has had to cancel events due to the sewage overflow

A canoe club has called on Severn Trent to do more to stop raw sewage pouring into a river where they train.

Sewage has entered the River Trent after heavy rainfall and forced the Stafford and Stone Canoe Club to cancel competitions and training.

The club has produced Olympians who said they had seen toilet paper floating in the water.

The water company said it is investing hundreds of millions of pounds to reduce overflows in the region.

Among those reporting "horrendous smells" and used toilet paper floating in the water were Olympians Adam Burgess and Joe Clarke MBE.

Olympians Adam Burgess and Joe Clarke MBE say they fear for the health of people using the river

"When it overflows it smells horrendous and I dread to think what would happen if someone swallows that water," Mr Burgess said.

"I have memories of seeing sewage and toilet paper coming into the water course. There's a massive health and safety risk to those using the river," Mr Clarke added.

In October last year, the Staffordshire-based group hosted a national competition but had to send rowers and spectators home after sewage gushed into the water and along the ground.

Stafford and Stone Canoe Club chairman Phil Gooding says sewage still gets through filters that have been installed

Severn Trent has said it understands the canoe club's concerns and is working to fix the problem. Phil Gooding, the club's chairman says the filters that have been installed on the sewage pipe "are not fit for purpose and don't catch anything."