Faeces found floating off Brighton beach

11:40am Tuesday 27th November 2012 in News

Faeces found floating off Brighton beach Faeces found floating off Brighton beach

Faeces have been found floating off Brighton beach this morning.

Members of Surfers Against Sewage reported the human waste which they found floating between Palace Pier and West Pier this morning.

An Environment Agency spokesperson said it was aware of the report and was working with Brighton and Hove City Council.

They added it is not unsual in wet conditions for some watered-down effluent to be flushed out to sea to prevent flooding on the mainland.

A Surfers Against sewage spokesman said: "At 7.15 this morning the P2P Swimming Club entered the water for their morning swim, however only metres from the West Pier the swimmers found themselves in the middle of a slick of raw sewage.

"Gentle winds and calm waters mean it’s a great day to enjoy the water, if you are a Brighton water user this incident has the potential to seriously impact upon your health.

"Once again UK water users have been forced to risk their health to take part in the sports they love.

Paul Smith MD of Swim UK, counted 20-25 pieces of solid excrement in his immediate vicinity, and said “It’s the worst we’ve seen it in over 30 years, the slick stretched as far as the eye could see”.

P2P Swimming Club in Brighton immediately left the water and have suspended all swims for the next couple of days and are taking precautions with their health. 

A Southern Water spokesman said: “We have investigated these reports and can confirm that there have been no releases from any of our facilities which could affect this bathing water.”

  • Did you see the sewage? Call the newdesk on 01273 544525

Comments(45)

pperrin says...
11:53am Tue 27 Nov 12

The public should be informed on EVERY OCCASION that raw sewage is flushed into the sea.

If the water company don't want to tell us can't the outlet be monitored?

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Dealing with idiots says...
11:54am Tue 27 Nov 12

Thats no way to speak about our much respected leader of the council.

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funkyyoyo says...
12:00pm Tue 27 Nov 12

breaking news!!! leaves have been discovered on pavements and roads in brighton today,council staff were left baffled!!

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Man With No Name says...
12:03pm Tue 27 Nov 12

It is monitored. By southern water themselves, they are required to report it to the EA but let's be honest....

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BagelCat says...
12:04pm Tue 27 Nov 12

Could be worse.. it could have been the microwave at CityClean.

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Crystal Ball says...
12:12pm Tue 27 Nov 12

Perhaps someone got caught short and relieved themselves in the English Channel?

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s&k says...
12:27pm Tue 27 Nov 12

Can't be as bad as the pavements in Brighton!

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derekhunt says...
1:04pm Tue 27 Nov 12

20-25 pieces stretching as far as the eye could see?

Either he needs to get his eyes checked or it’s not human waste

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Number Six says...
1:07pm Tue 27 Nov 12

They weren't really swimming. They were just going through the motions

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Number Six says...
1:07pm Tue 27 Nov 12

They weren't really swimming. They were just going through the motions

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angrymonkey says...
1:15pm Tue 27 Nov 12

souther water can they do anything good? they should be shut down and get someone good looking after are coast and water ways and getting are bills correct.

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Poccypoc says...
1:53pm Tue 27 Nov 12

Is this REALLY news?! Lots of people relieve themselves in the sea. I don't because I rarely go in it.

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Poccypoc says...
1:55pm Tue 27 Nov 12

Is this REALLY news?! Lots of people relieve themselves in the sea. I don't because I rarely go in it.

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Lord Tilford says...
1:58pm Tue 27 Nov 12

Number Six wrote:
They weren't really swimming. They were just going through the motions
Close the internet - we have a winner!

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Rocco10 says...
2:04pm Tue 27 Nov 12

It's not a surprise bearing in mind 100% of Brighton and Hoves sewer contents are just pumped out to sea, hence why they're building the new facility at Peacehaven. Should be finished soon I think. But until then it all goes straight out the outfall.

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Idontbelieveit1948 says...
3:07pm Tue 27 Nov 12

So the Greens have finally torn up their manifesto and flushed it away !

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meaty loaf says...
3:37pm Tue 27 Nov 12

Thank god they've finally been found, but I was never aware any had gone missing in the first place. If this had been reported when they first went missing they might have been found much sooner. I bet their owner is relieved (no pun intended).

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inadaptado says...
3:59pm Tue 27 Nov 12

It's freezing! Who the hell goes to swim in this weather?

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Phani Tikkala says...
4:17pm Tue 27 Nov 12

BagelCat wrote:
Could be worse.. it could have been the microwave at CityClean.
Brilliant! 10/10

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mruno says...
4:36pm Tue 27 Nov 12

Can't blame the Greens for this, must be the Browns.

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Flippin Burghers says...
4:44pm Tue 27 Nov 12

BagelCat wrote:
Could be worse.. it could have been the microwave at CityClean.
Did the council ever crack that case? The Argus never did a follow-through, I mean follow-up.

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morgan60 says...
5:25pm Tue 27 Nov 12

Southern water will always say Not our Problem when we all know they still release sewage into the sea what is Happening we apy extortionate bills and ghey pollute us !!!!

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morgan60 says...
5:25pm Tue 27 Nov 12

Southern water will always say Not our Problem when we all know they still release sewage into the sea what is Happening we apy extortionate bills and ghey pollute us !!!!

Report this post »

morgan60 says...
5:25pm Tue 27 Nov 12

Southern water will always say Not our Problem when we all know they still release sewage into the sea what is Happening we apy extortionate bills and ghey pollute us !!!!

Report this post »

morgan60 says...
5:25pm Tue 27 Nov 12

Southern water will always say Not our Problem when we all know they still release sewage into the sea what is Happening we apy extortionate bills and ghey pollute us !!!!

Report this post »

morgan60 says...
5:25pm Tue 27 Nov 12

Southern water will always say Not our Problem when we all know they still release sewage into the sea what is Happening we apy extortionate bills and ghey pollute us !!!!

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sbiscorrupt says...
5:33pm Tue 27 Nov 12

Did Kitcrap decide to try and end it all?

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Angryoldman says...
6:17pm Tue 27 Nov 12

Number Six wrote:
They weren't really swimming. They were just going through the motions
Lol. Fabulous.

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Lord Tilford says...
6:34pm Tue 27 Nov 12

We have a choice between paying higher water rates to deal with such an eventuality or just putting up with it when it happens - we're really caught between two stools.

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sussexram40 says...
6:42pm Tue 27 Nov 12

Somebody needs to keep a log about this so we know how often there is a problem with floaters. If Southern Water won't give up the information then the Council needs to flush it out of them. It will be a great relief when it has passed and the sea is clean.

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Lord Tilford says...
7:03pm Tue 27 Nov 12

I remember a similar thing happening during World War II when thousands of children from London and Coventry were evacuated here.

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Juleyanne says...
7:28pm Tue 27 Nov 12

faeces floating in the sea! yes, I had heard the countryside alliance planned a winter swim.

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Telscombe Cliffy says...
7:32pm Tue 27 Nov 12

'****' happens. And it has.

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Flippin Burghers says...
8:48pm Tue 27 Nov 12

Don't suppose this outbreak has anything to do with Palace Pier?

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Nellie's Grandson says...
11:30pm Tue 27 Nov 12

I must the P2P swimming club. Sounds great fun freezing to death and swimming through 60m long turds. Stretched as far as the eye can see, 20 turds, get real if you are going to complain. I for one don't want to see my water rates increase just so people with little better to do can swim in the sea in November, you would not get me in there on a hot day in August!

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John Steed says...
6:41am Wed 28 Nov 12

I have swam in the sea at brighton since the fifties, my brother also, the cry of "Jobbie" & "Johnnie" used to be part of life if you went out to far on an ebb tide, but I am still here to tell the story, so is my brother, never caught anything swimming in the sea, nor it has to be said by swimming in the river ember, river mole or the thames at hampton court and other locations up stream.
I get fed up with hearing SAS moaning all the time, what do they do surf around with a little flag trying to find one of their own to stick it in, as to P2P,must be suffering from short memories, sewage is not nice in the water but has been a fact of life for centuries,

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Fairfax Sakes says...
8:59am Wed 28 Nov 12

I wish everytone would stop poo-pooing the facts of the story.

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MontyDon says...
9:38am Wed 28 Nov 12

I could do with some of that **** for my garden, could someone take out
A tesco bag and collect some for monty....

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baron Von Skidmark says...
10:51am Wed 28 Nov 12

Well...I'd heard it was Frankie Cockozza taking a dip to publicise his new single ?

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nosolution says...
11:41am Wed 28 Nov 12

I blame it on the greens...too much fibre..

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Flippin Burghers says...
11:58am Wed 28 Nov 12

The alternative to raw sewage is cooked sewage. But for that one needs a suitable microwave oven. You pays yer money and takes yer choice...

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Joshiman says...
12:02pm Wed 28 Nov 12

Keep eating your "Greens"

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PorkBoat says...
3:50pm Wed 28 Nov 12

"Members of Surfers Against Sewage reported the human waste which they found floating between Palace Pier and West Pier this morning". Is this what Robert Plant was singing about when he recorded "Big Log"?

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Mr. Mann. says...
4:17pm Wed 28 Nov 12

MontyDon wrote:
I could do with some of that **** for my garden, could someone take out
A tesco bag and collect some for monty....
There are of course other supermarket bags which can transport poo just as well, in the interest of product displacement...

Unfortunately I think most of it may have evolved and taken up residence in the London Road/Grand Parade area judging by some of the specimens I've seen trapsing around that area today.

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Cash Cow says...
4:50am Thu 29 Nov 12

John Steed wrote:
I have swam in the sea at brighton since the fifties, my brother also, the cry of "Jobbie" & "Johnnie" used to be part of life if you went out to far on an ebb tide, but I am still here to tell the story, so is my brother, never caught anything swimming in the sea, nor it has to be said by swimming in the river ember, river mole or the thames at hampton court and other locations up stream.
I get fed up with hearing SAS moaning all the time, what do they do surf around with a little flag trying to find one of their own to stick it in, as to P2P,must be suffering from short memories, sewage is not nice in the water but has been a fact of life for centuries,
Got to agree with you John, I have also swam in the sea at Brighton every year since learning to swim and I have never suffered any adverse effects, despite bumping into the odd fat turd bobbing past.

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