CLEAN river campaigners in Ilkley say shocking reports emerged on Tuesday of a sewage spillage in the River Wharfe at Cromwheel - even in the absence of rainfall.

The spillage came on the same day Yorkshire Water announced the completion of a new £15m sewer for the town.

Prof Becky Malby and Di Lury, of Ilkley Clean River Campaign said: "This disturbing event underscores the urgent need for immediate action from Yorkshire Water to prevent further spillages into the river.

"Despite yesterday’s assurances from Nicola Shaw, CEO of Yorkshire Water, regarding ongoing improvements to the region’s infrastructure including the commissioning of a new sewer here in Ilkley, the reality on the ground paints a starkly different picture.

"The sewage overflow into the River Wharfe in the absence of rainfall represents a grave failure in the management of wastewater systems by her company. Sewage discharges are only legally compliant when the conditions specified in the permit issued by the Environment Agency (EA) are met, meaning that the capacity of a sewage treatment facility has been exceeded due to heavy rainfall.

"This incident highlights the critical importance of swift and decisive measures to address the root cause of sewage spills at the Cromwheel and prevent future occurrences. The Ilkley community demands transparency, accountability and rapid action from Yorkshire Water to rectify this problem and prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.

"The incident has been reported to the Environment Agency and as concerned citizens Ilkley Clean River Group are asking them to ensure that Yorkshire Water conducts a thorough investigation into the causes of the sewage spillage at the Cromwheel and implement corrective measures without delay."