Marston Brook polluted by farm slurry

On 3 May 2007, Alan Woodhouse, 61, of Old Hall Farm, Marston Montgomery pleaded guilty at South Derbyshire Magistrates Court to two charges relating to polluting the Marston Brook.

Mr Woodhouse was fined a total of £3000 and ordered to pay costs of £2000. The Environment Agency brought the charges under the Water Resources Act 1991. These are the latest in a number of offences committed by Mr Woodhouse who also pleaded guilty to offences under the Water Resources Act 1991 in both 2003 and 2005.

For the Environment Agency, Michael Robinson, told the court that Mr Woodhouse operated a farming business at Old Hall Farm, Marston Montgomery.

Between 7 March 2006 and 12 May 2006 Environment Agency officers visited Old Hall Farm and inspected the Marston Brook and Waldley Lane tributary after receiving reports that an outlet pipe was discharging slurry into a roadside ditch in Waldley Lane.

Over the two months Environment Agency officers took samples from Wadley Lane tributary and Marston Brook. Analysis showed the discharge was highly polluting, being up to 19 times more polluting than raw sewage.

Speaking after the case, Susan Bowen, an Environment Agency Team Leader involved in the investigation said: 'Slurry is highly polluting to streams and rivers. It should never be allowed to enter a brook or surface water drain. Slurry and manure can cause oxygen to be removed from the water and they contain ammonia, which is very toxic to fish.'

'Unfortunately in this case it became clear from our samples that slurry from Old Hall Farm had polluted the local brooks and land next to Waldley Lane. This case is a warning to other farmers that ignoring slurry problems is not good enough. We will not hesitate to take action against anyone who pollutes local rivers and brooks by not controlling and treating slurry from farms effectively.'

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