Farmer fined for damaging water quality with slurry

A farmer in north Devon has been ordered to pay more than £23,000 after being found guilty of damaging water quality.

Peter Willes of Higher Alminstone Farm in Woolsery was issued the punishment after environmental analysis discovered he was responsible for leaking slurry and milk into a stream.

The Environment Agency visited the farm on a number of occasions in 2010 and found the waterway had become coated in algae, which was caused through pollution.

Officers were again called to the property soon after, as the owner burnt materials such as plastics, light bulbs and tyres.

Mr Willes pleaded guilty to three offences, as he was found to be in breach of the Water Resources Act 1991 and Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Last week, Longridge, which is a Preston-based drainage company, was fined nearly £56,000 by the authority after being found guilty of disposing liquid waste in an unlawful manner.

Posted by Joseph Hutton