Health warnings over sewage pollution have been issued for a whopping 54 beaches in the south-west of England

The heavy rain which has battered parts of the country in recent days has left thousands of beachgoers at risk, Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) said.

The marine conservation charity has put 33 Cornwall beaches under the ‘sewage pollution alert’, meaning storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours.

A ‘pollution risk forecast’ has been issued for 21 others, which means there is a chance sewage will appear in the area.

The SAS monitors 68 of the peninsula’s beaches, with around 80% of them potentially polluted.

Popular tourist hotspots, such as Looe, Falmouth and Penzance are among those affected.

The main contributor to beach pollution is urban runoff – water from rain and other outdoor water usey, which does not soak into the ground and drains from roofs, driveways, sidewalks and other surfaces.

The runoff results in fertilizers, pesticides, oil and untreated human and animal waste to run into waterways and eventually end up in the sea.

Some water experts recommend waiting 72 hours before entering the sea after it rains, as swallowing contaminated water can lead to a number of serious illnesses.

Symptoms to look out for include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, cramps, inflamed stomach and intestines.

Josh Harris, who is part of SAS, told Metro.co.uk: ‘When it rains, it pours sewage. Water companies treat our coastline, rivers and lakes as an open sewer, with decades of under-investment whilst shareholders and directors get paid millions.

‘It’s a totally unacceptable situation and that’s why we are demanding an end to dirty money in the water industry and an end to sewage pollution.’

The organisation’s website states the sheer volume of pollution entering our water means the UK ‘consistently ranks as one of the worst European countries for coastal water quality’.

They believe the UK’s sewage systems are ‘antiquated and woefully inadequate’, and have accused water companies of failing to invest in coastal and river protection.

In 2021, sewage was discharged into rivers and seas 370,000 times for a total of 2.7 million hours.

The forecast forced the Goodwood Festival of Speed to cancel the event’s first day for the first time in its 30-year history.

The Wimbledon men’s final was able to go on as planned on Sunday, albeit with some chilly winds.

Meteorologists have said we are seeing ‘quite unseasonably unsettled weather’ for this time of year.

Is your local beach affected?

Kingsand

Cawsand

Portwrinkle

Downderry

Seaton

Millendreath

East Looe

Readymoney Cove

Polkerris (pollution risk forecast)

Par Sands

Shorthorn Beach

Charlestown

Duporth (pollution risk forecast)

Porthpean Beach (pollution risk forecast)

Pentewan

Portmellon

Gorran Haven Little Perhaver

Porthluney (pollution risk forecast)

Pendower (pollution risk forecast)

Porthcurnick (pollution risk forecast)

Gyllyngvase

Swanpool

Maenporth (pollution risk forecast)

Porthallow (pollution risk forecast)

Porthoustock

Coverack

Kennack Sands (pollution risk forecast)

Polurrian Cove

Poldhu Cove (pollution risk forecast)

Perranuthnoe

Marazion (pollution risk forecast)

Long Rock

Penzance (pollution risk forecast)

Wherry Town (pollution risk forecast)

Porthgwidden

Porthkidney

Gwithian Towans

Godrevy Towans

Portreath

Trevaunance Cove

Perranporth (pollution risk forecast)

Crantock

Fistral South

Fistral North

Porth

Mawgan Porth

Porthcothan (pollution risk forecast)

Harlyn Bay

Trevone Bay (pollution risk forecast)

Polzeath (pollution risk forecast)

Trebarwith Strand (pollution risk forecast)

Crackington Haven (pollution risk forecast)

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