Swimmers protest sewage alerts in Cornwall

A protest has taken place on Portreath Beach in Cornwall as locals say there have been sewage alerts for 26 consecutive days.

Swimmers said they had not been able to enter the water there, and that South West Water (SWW) had not given them any explanation.

Campaigning charity Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) said multiple sewage alerts had also been flagged at Porthtowan, St Agnes, Godrevy and Gwithian recently.

SWW declined to comment.

James Luxton, from SAS, said it was "appalling" sewage was being released on consecutive days.

He said: "That should only happen in exceptional circumstances when the rain is such and [sewage systems] cannot handle it.

"But, quite clearly, the system cannot handle it day-by-day right now."

Tina Dennett, from Portreath & Porthtowan Bluetits swimming group, said if it was "something really simple, like a stuck valve, then they need to take action".

He said: "If it is something more serious and we have had 26 days continuously of overspill here, then something drastic needs to be done about it.

"It's shameful - shame on you South West Water."

Sea swimmer Alison King said people and animals should not be swimming in sewage.

She said: "We want to come to a local beach and be able to swim at a local beach.

"I love animals as well and birds, and I don't think they should be swimming in all our all our rubbish."

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