Former punk-rock star Feargal Sharkey visits Cornwall and Devon to call for cleaner seas
The singer, turned environmental campaigner, has visited swimmers and fishermen in Falmouth and Perranporth
Last updated 13th Jun 2024
Former Undertones singer, turned environmental campaigner, Feargal Sharkey, has visited Falmouth and Perranporth to call for cleaner waterways and seas in Cornwall.
The Undertones singer, famous for hits such as Teenage Kicks, My Perfect Cousin, and Here Comes the Summer, will be visiting the seaside town of Falmouth as part of a tour across the nation to highlight the issue of pollution in Britain's waterways.
It follows a visit to Plymouth yesterday, where he's been meeting with swimmers, beach-goers and fishermen about a rise in sewage discharges.
Figures from the environment agency show a 54% rise in sewage discharges in our region in 2023 - compared to 2022.
Feargal Sharkey said: "I physically retired 12 years ago, I was quietly minding my own business and I just wanted to go fishing. I found myself standing in a river watching the ugly underbelly of the sewage system come floating back.
"If you live in the United Kingdom, particularly in England, in Cornwall and bits of Devon, you cannot escape it. Whether you're going for a swim in the sea or taking your dog for a walk near a local river."
The Northern Irish former punk singer has a history of activism. First working for musicians’ rights, before turning his attention to water quality, borne out of a love of fly fishing.
Sarah Walsh, open water swim coach and founder of Blue Tits sea swimming groups across Cornwall, said: "I've been ill, I've had terrible gastroenteritis. There's people I know with ear infections and eye infections and I get them quite regularly.
"I swim in the sea daily and I have to check daily. This morning we had four alerts go off."
Chris Ranger, oysterman from the Fal and founder of campaign group Saving Ester, said: "Personally it's wiping us out but as an industry it's an impossible task to overcome. The more we campaign for clearer water, the less sales we make because they assume the water is dirty and they don't want to consume our product.
"When I started there would be maybe one or two bad sample reports in a year. Now it's nearly every sample report is bad. In this country it's collapsing because of water quality and consumer confidence."
As the election campaign continues, political parties have each pledged measures against sewage pollution in our waterways.
The Conservatives say they will upgrade waste treatment works, regulate and enforce unlimited fines and penalties.
Meanwhile, Labour they say their plan would stop bonuses, tackle failing water companies, and protect Britain’s beautiful holiday spots.
The Lib Dems also pledge tougher regulations including a sewage tax on water company annual profits and a ban on executive bonuses.