Data from 'Top of the Poops' has shown that a total of 6,627 hours of sewage were dumped into the River Avon and River Leam in 2022.

There were 980 sewage dumps into the River Avon over the period, totalling 5,717 hours of sewage dumping and 210 dumps into the River Leam, totalling 910 hours.

These figures are the equivalent of sewage being discharged into River Avon 2.7 times a day.

The issue of sewage dumping locally has been raised numerous times by local MP Matt Western, who has accused the Government of failing to take serious action to tackle the problem and has now started a public petition calling on the Government to clean up local waterways.

He has raised the issue in Parliament on multiple occasions, most recently inviting the Secretary of State for the Environment, Thérèse Coffey, to "don a cozzie" and take a dip in the River Avon to see the impact of the hundreds of sewage dumps locally for herself.

The MP says the Secretary of State has not taken him up on his offer.

Protestors against sewage dumping outside Severn Trent's headquarters in Coventry earlier this summer (image via Ellie Brown)

On the petition, Mr Western commented: "The state of our waterways is shocking, and it is disgraceful that the Government have allowed water companies to get away with dumping sewage into them for so long.

"I know how valued our waterways are, particularly in the summer months and school holidays when families look to the rivers for a day out and chance to cool off.

"However, they are now faced with the prospect that our much-loved waterways could very easily be full of sewage.

"The Government must do more to tackle this problem they have let get out of control.

"It's unfair on families up and down the country who want to enjoy our beautiful countryside and nature, not be on the receiving end of the Conservative's sewage scandal."

You can sign the petition here.