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Saltburn beach sewage spill is 'no danger' to public

BBC Work on the sewerage pipeBBC
Tankers have been drafted in and repair work is expected to last for a number of days

There is no danger to public health following a sewage leak on to a beach on Teesside, the utility firm has said.

The pipe carrying waste to treatment works in Marske was breached by third-party contractors working in Cat Nab Car Park in Saltburn on Wednesday.

Northumbrian Water said waste was discharging into Skelton Beck but repairs were under way.

The car park and surrounding area have been cordoned off "as a precaution" and people are advised to avoid the area.

Tankers have been drafted in to try to reduce the volume of the spill.

General view of Saltburn and the area of beach affected
People are being urged to stay away from a section of beach near Skelton Beck in Saltburn

Richard Warneford from Northumbrian Water said: "We are not seeing any danger to public health here.

"Ultimately it is still discharging into a [beck] and it's being massively diluted by it.

"We have tankers on site and are working around the clock, but it may take a few days."

However, campaign group Surfers Against Sewage said the "creaking sewerage infrastructure" was causing "daily devastation to fragile ecosystems".

It called upon water companies, regulators and government to "step up and act to protect our precious blue spaces".

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