Children fall ill after swimming in river after reports of 16-hour sewage spil
Children fall ill after swimming in river amid reports of 16-hour sewage spill
Several children started feeling unwell after swimming in a strect of river in Devon.
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Add us as preferred source Comments By Steph Spyro, Deputy political editor and envionment editor 16:38, Wed, Jul 1, 2026 Updated: 16:42, Wed, Jul 1, 2026 
At least seven children became ill after swimming in part of a river where 16 hours of sewage had been discharged days earlier, it has emerged.
Several youngsters suffered severe vomiting and upset stomachs on the hottest day of the year while splashing around in the River Dart, in the Chulmleigh and Chawleigh area.
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It was only later discovered via an online sewage discharge map that South West Water had dumped untreated sewage upstream for approximately 16 hours earlier in the week.
Kelly Vipond’s two children went in the water, and her 12-year-old son began feeling sick the following day.
Her oldest son also fell ill a few days later, while other children who swam were projectile vomiting"
Speaking to the Express, Ms Vipond said: “It’s devastating that we can’t go in our local river. It’s a very small tributary. I was aware of the impact of sewage in our rivers. I had researched it a couple of years ago, and the little River Dart came out that it wasn’t too bad and didn’t have as much sewage as other local rivers.
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“I was absolutely furious after that happened. I was absolutely livid. I was almost kicking myself that I didn’t look. I didn’t even think to check. We’d had torrential downpours two days before. I don’t think we’ll be going locally again. It’s put us off.”
Ms Vipond contacted the Environment Agency, who said SWW were going to do tests at the site, but that would only happen the following day at the earliest.
Liberal Democrat Environment Spokesman Tim Farron MP said: “Hot summers are here to stay and naturally kids want to enjoy lakes, rivers and seas up and down the country, yet they are being put at constant risk by water companies.
“South West Water got their accounts back into the green, but have put their customers in the brown.
“Flagrant abuses by water companies using their monopolies to carve out profits, at the cost of public health, are unacceptable. Children naturally want to paddle during this extreme weather, but face the risk of sickness thanks to sustained sewage dumping across Britain. We cannot afford to hesitate - replace Ofwat with a clean water authority now."
It comes as the former boss of South West Water was handed a £270,000 bonus despite a parasite outbreak that contaminated drinking water, left more than 140 people ill and caused a major public health scandal in the region.
Susan Davy, the former chief executive of South West Water owner Pennon Group, also received £100,000 for private security over two years while overseeing the company during the major water quality failures.
Davy, who left the role in December, was paid the allowance in two £50,000 instalments between 2024 and 2025.
South West Water’s owners, Pennon, also reported last month that they turned a pre-tax profit of £114 million, not long after they were handed a £1.8million fine for the 2024 Brixham cryptosperidium outbreak that hospitalised four people.
Liberal Democrat MP for North Devon Ian Roome said: "It is absolutely infuriating that families in Devon are apparently expected to consult a live sewage map before allowing their children to paddle in a local river. Last year, South West Water spilled sewage into bathing sites across the region over 7,900 times, that’s 22 times per day. Enough is enough, and parents should not be made to feel guilty for letting their children enjoy nature, particularly during the weather we are seeing.”
“South West Water keeps getting away with discharging filthy sewage into our rivers, and we will look with interest at the results of their tests."
A spokeswoman for Pennon said: “We’re sorry to hear people have been unwell and we take reports like this seriously. We are unable to comment on individual cases, but it is important to note that there are many factors that can affect river water quality, including agricultural and urban pollution.
“Following notification of the incident, we carried out on-site water quality testing at locations on the river, which did not indicate any evidence of pollution at the points tested.
“Our data also shows local storm overflows in the area were operating as they should. Even so, we are investing £760 million to tackle storm overflows and have already reduced spills by 17% over the past year."
Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
