Bexhill and Hastings protestors hold demonstration against sewage pollution in sea

The event coincided with a number of similar protests in the UK, including a paddle-out by Surfers Against Sewage in Brighton.

Amanda Jobson, Hastings borough councillor for Gensing ward, joined the group in Bexhill on Saturday.

She said: “I supported the paddle-out with Surfers Against Sewage on Saturday, and like many residents here in Bexhill and Hastings we are fed up with sewage pollution and the failure of private water companies polluting our waterways.

!These residents who joined us in the sea were disappointed by Southern Water’s inaction and they want to see real-time action in infrastructure and an investment now in the sewage and waste water system.”

Last August, Bexhill and Normans Bay beaches were closed for two days after sewage was discharged into the sea, with Southern Water blaming a failure at its pumping station at Galley Hill for the incident.

Nick Mills, head of Southern Water’s Clean Rivers and Seas Task Force, said: “We are already working to reduce the number of storm overflows, investing significant money to build bigger infrastructure and redesign a legacy Victorian sewer system, as well as using innovative technology and natural solutions. Since privatisation, the quality of our bathing waters has risen from only 28 per cent meeting public health standards, to 94 per cent now rated as ‘good’ or ‘excellent’.

“We are investing the money where it’s needed, we have not paid external dividends to shareholders since 2017 and our Chief Executive this week confirmed he would not be taking a bonus in 2023.

“We will be announcing more detail on our own longer-term plan to further improve every single storm overflow requiring action in our region soon, and will be asking customers and stakeholders for their feedback, to ensure we get the balance right between significant investment and keeping bills affordable.”