Dog owner's fury at polluted beauty spot
A Telford man today claimed his dog nearly died after drinking heavily polluted water while walking along a beauty spot near his home.
Pest control officer Phil Lisney has called on Severn Trent Water and the Environment Agency to clean up the water along the Public Open Channel in Hortonwood, which runs into Red Strine Brook. Mr Lisney, of Horton Lane, said he had to take his dog - a lurcher called Gypsy - to the vet's after she stopped to drink the water during a recent walk.
"It nearly killed her," the 40-year-old said. She drank the water and on the night after we got home she couldn't stop vomiting.
"The vet told me it could well have been down to drinking dirty water and I was absolutely furious about it. There is raw sewage being pumped into that water, it stinks and it is absolutely disgusting.
"It is a beautiful area and further up the river there are otters, kingfishers and all sorts of wonderful wildlife. If they venture down to this part, which they could well do, it will kill them.
"It is a serious issue and I have complained to both Severn Trent and the Environment Agency but nothing is being done about it."
Severn Trent spokeswoman Grace Marren said the company was aware of the problem at Hortonwood.
She added: "We are working very closely with the Environment Agency to find the cause of the problem, as well as putting measures in place to prevent it from happening again."
Environment Agency spokeswoman Lyn Fraley said the main purpose of the channel was to drain water from roads and other hard surfaces.
She said signs of "extensive pollution" had been found when officers visited the site following recent complaints.
"We have since been monitoring the situation closely," she said.
" We will continue to work closely with Severn Trent to ensure the problem has been resolved.
"Water quality in the channel is very slowly improving but it will take some time to return to normal."
