EXTINCTION Rebellion Wimborne held a protest on the banks of the River Stour earlier this month to warn people about the "alarming" level of pollution in the river.

The 'Pink Rebels' of the environmental movement protested on the banks of the River Stour at Riverside in Wimborne on Sunday, December 20.

Wearing pink masks and pink hazmat suits, they marched and chanted, "the Stour is polluted, we weep for the Stour" as part of their commitment to ensuring people know about the level of pollution in the river.

According to the group, there’s raw sewage, run off from farms including fertilisers and animal waste, and a range of toxic chemicals flowing through the water of the river.

A spokesperson for the group said: "This noxious cocktail poses a risk to the health of the local residents who use it for recreation, and to the many plant and animal species who live in and on it.

"Local residents swim, paddle and play in the River Stour, especially at the well-known beauty spot, Eye Bridge, but they have recently reported seeing slurry floating on the surface and, not surprisingly, some have suffered stomach upsets."

Extinction Rebellion Wimborne is calling on Government to stop water companies discharging raw sewage into rivers, and to stop agriculture and industry polluting rivers.

Wimborne resident Joanna Bury said: "Water companies in England discharged raw sewage into rivers on more than 200,000 occasions in 2019. Our local company, Wessex Water, discharged raw sewage 13,876 times over 107,404 hours. Such discharges are permitted by the Environment Agency during heavy rainfall.

"This demonstrates just how little our government cares about the environment and just how urgent it is they take measures to stop this happening. Unless this urgent action is taken the disgusting and damaging pollution of our beautiful River Stour can only get worse."

Last month Wessex Water said it met with the group, which recognised the complexities involved with all the factors affecting river water quality, such as agricultural run-off and industry.

The water company explained that storm overflows were used to protect and properties and highways from flooding and as they only operate during periods of intense rainfall, any foul water released is very dilute because of the large volumes of rainwater within the system. 

A Wessex Water spokesman said: “We understand the concerns raised and in an ideal world we wouldn’t have a combined sewerage system that carries foul water and rainwater.

“We have invested where we can to make improvements, and since 2000 we have invested £181 million to upgrade more than 582 storm overflows, and there are plans to improve more over the next five years."

Extinction Rebellion Wimborne states that the National Trust has a responsibility too due to owning agricultural land along the River Stour which it lets to tenant farmers.

Professor James Bullock from Wimborne said: "We call on the government to enact the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill without delay because this is our best chance of ensuring the UK actively conserves the natural world and plays its fair and proper role in limiting global temperatures to 1.5°C."