ENVIRONMENTAL campaigner and singer Feargal Sharkey visited Ilkley on Sunday to support the Ilkley Clean River Group's campaign to stop residents paying more money in their bills for Yorkshire Water to treat sewage.

More than 100 people gathered to see Feargal outside the Riverside Hotel in Ilkley near to the River Wharfe.

He told the crowd they had been part of a "legitimised rip-off".

"The River Wharfe like every other river in the country is now contaminated and is now polluted and one of the biggest sources of that pollution is the water industry," he told the crowds.

"Invariably they will want more money out of the customers' pockets and at this point in the business they should not see another penny from the customers. You've already paid for a service."

Mr Sharkey took the opportunity to praise the "extraordinary people that are the Ilkley Clean River Group."

He described the campaign group as "incredible".

The visit came after Yorkshire Water announced it is planning to invest £1.4m in Ilkley and Ben Rhydding to reduce the number of discharges into the river to help improve water quality.

Ilkley Clean River campaigners say customers must not be forced to pay again for the basic treatment of sewage.

Becky Malby, who chairs the Ilkley Clean River Group, said they were "delighted" to receive the support of Mr Sharkey who was "fantastic at holding water companies to account".

"This week Yorkshire Water is announcing how it is investing millions to clean up the sewage in the river but they want the customer to pay," she said.

"All that goes on our bills and we think we've paid and Feargal is here to support us to make sure we don't pay twice."

A statement issued by Yorkshire Water said: "Customers will be not be paying twice for these new improvements in Ilkley; our business plan outlined all the investment we'd be making during this time and that's what customer's bills are currently paying for."