A local ecological consultant claims that raw sewage has been dumped in the estuary at Frogmore Creek.

Richard Lees said: “While walking my dogs this morning I was disgusted to see that tonnes of raw sewage have been dumped into the Salcombe/Kingsbridge estuary at Frogmore Creek.

“I have taken photos showing how close it is to the road and houses, not to mention the estuary which is a SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) .”

A Site of Special Scientific Interest means it is a protected area. The South Hams Society described the estuary as possessing “a very rich and diverse intertidal and subtidal flora and invertebrate fauna, with certain communities being outstanding examples of their type in the North-east Atlantic.”

Mr Lees explained how impactful it can be on the environment: “It flows down through the sea grass….We’ve got the sea horses in there, one of the only places in the country.... You just can’t do that…. It’s a wildlife crime.”

He said that it is “one thing dumping it in the sea”, where the waste can disperse, but another in the estuary, where the wildlife can be dramatically affected.

He discussed the importance Salcombe has for the local area, which sees a large influx of tourists during the summer months: “Salcombe brings in so much tourism…. Now people will be swimming in that.”

But South West Water rejected the claims, with a spokesperson saying: “We can confirm that we have had no recorded discharges here since January. Data quality looks good and we have no reason to suspect that there is any spilling.”