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Margate sewage leak: Beaches remain closed to swimmers

BBC Tractor on a beachBBC
A clean-up operation began at first light on Thursday

Beaches in Margate will remain closed to swimmers over the weekend after a pumping station was struck by lightning, causing a major sewage leak.

Southern Water said it has completed its initial clean-up along a 3.5 mile (6km) stretch of coastline between West Bay and Joss Bay.

The beaches will remain open above the high tide line and tests by the Environment Agency are ongoing.

Southern Water has apologised for the sewage leak.

A spokeswoman for the company said: "Both the tides and the winds have an effect on when and where residual debris returns to shore and we are working closely with the Environment Agency and local authority to make sure the water is safe before the council lifts their advice against entering the water."

Warning sign
Signs have been placed on beaches between West Bay and Joss Bay to warn the public

A spokeswoman for Thanet District Council said: "A clean-up operation around the coast led by Southern Water continues, with extra resources being deployed over the weekend.

"Thanet District Council teams remain out to assess the impact of the Southern Water incident and will continue to monitor the situation closely over the weekend."

The pumping station at Foreness Point suffered a power outage during storms on Wednesday night, causing waste water to be diverted through the emergency outfall into the sea.

Southern Water said the pumping station is now operating as it should.

Path to beach with warning signs
The Environment Agency will continue to test the water over the next few days

Southern Water was fined £2m in 2016 after a failure at the same pumping station saw untreated and partially-screened sewage discharged into the sea.

Local environmental campaigner Alanna McGill-Tagg said improvements are needed.

"I'd like to say to Southern Water that you guys have got form and it isn't acceptable," she said.

"You have to improve your facilities, you have to stop it happening time and time and time again."

Separate to the incident, Thanet District Council has also advised against swimming at Viking Bay in Broadstairs, where heavy rainfall has impacted the quality of the water.

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