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Pollution warnings issued for beaches across England and Wales after raw sewage dumped off coast

POLLUTION warnings were in place across almost 50 beaches in England and Wales today after water companies emptied untreated sewage into the sea around the coast.

The discharges happened since Monday, official data shows, and the most contaminated areas are predominantly along the south coast, including popular seaside destinations like Newquay and Southend-on-Sea.

Surfers Against Sewage (SAS), said people need to avoid beaches in Cornwall, Devon, Sussex, Essex, Lancashire, Lincolnshire, Northumberland and Cumbria.

A spokeswoman for the environmental group said other pollution warnings in place may not be linked to heavy rain.

She advised those visiting the coast to check its interactive map on their website before they swim.

In a statement, the Environment Agency said that sewage pollution could be “devastating to human health, local biodiversity and our environment.”

The agency has previously called for top executives of water companies to face jail when serious incidents of pollution happen.

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