Withernsea water pollution fears spark 'don't swim' warning

People have been urged not to swim in the sea off the East Yorkshire coast amid fears about water pollution.

The Environment Agency issued a warning for the area around Withernsea because of pollution caused by the construction of a new waste water pipe.

The agency said it had suspended water quality monitoring until September due to an "abnormal situation" because of the work.

The pipe is being built by Yorkshire Water as part of a £26 million scheme.

The company said the existing waste water treatment plant was being moved further inland due to coastal erosion.

"Dredging is currently under way, and the activity can stir up sediment from the seabed, which could potentially lead to reduced water quality while the activity is taking place," a spokesperson said.

"The Environment Agency has been informed of the work under way and as a duty of care it has informed the public of the possible impact on bathing water in the area."

The Environment Agency said it "advises against bathing because of the potential impact on water quality due to the dredging that is being undertaken".

Billy Wilkinson, who owns a toy shop in the town, said he was worried the work might hit tourism.

"It's going to put people off coming and we've struggled through three months of being closed," he said.

"Now we're a bit worried that people aren't going to come to Withernsea."

However, Conservative councillor Dave Tucker said the town was still open for business, adding: "Yesterday we had about 300 people on our beach all enjoying the sunshine."

Construction of the 1.9-mile (3km) sea outfall pipe is expected to be finished by October.

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