Farmer fined over silage pollution

A Cornish farmer has been fined and ordered to pay court costs after allowing silage effluent and dirty water to enter a tributary of the River Neet near Bude.

The dark-coloured liquid was noticed by Environment Agency officers in 2008 and traced to the nearby Trelay Farm.

Farmer Anthony Grills claimed a pipe had been damaged during a maize harvest and said he had not found the time to repair it.

During an inspection, officers also discovered a pipe discharging green liquid with a strong odour into the stream.

Environment Agency spokesman Robin Duffy said silage effluent is highly damaging and farmers must take great care over its storage and disposal.

"The agency is concentrating its efforts on reducing pollution incidents on the Rivers Stratt and Neet to achieve further improvements in bathing water quality at beaches around Bude," he added.

Meanwhile, South West Water was ordered to pay £3,883 in fines and costs earlier this week after a sewage spill occurred at a popular Cornish beach.

Written by Joseph Hutton