I HAVE for the past six months attempted to find the answers as to why it appears untreated sewage is found in the Mersey at Paddington, Latchford and Kingsway.

The reason that I have put questions about this polluting discharge to the Environment Agency and to United Utilities is that the smell and amount of sanitary towels, baby wipes and condoms plus the sewage slicks on the surface of the water are becoming more abundant when I fish the Mersey.

The riverbed below Kingsway combined sewer outflow must be littered in this filth to a massive extent as I hook up on them frequently.

United Utilities claim that the sewage is filtered and that the filters won’t allow anything bigger than six millimetres into the river.

On September 3 the river was low but a slick of sewage was obvious to us in the fishing match and to two chaps from the rowing club.

What was so upsetting to me was a news release on television which was given high profile by United Utilities who had a spokesperson saying that the outflow into the sea at Blackpool had an ultra violet bug killer in place so that the sewage eating bugs don’t enter the sea.

I object to paying United Utilities £358 to treat the rainwater and sewage from my house in a proper non-polluting manner not have it just pumped into the Mersey.

Our stretch of the mighty Mersey should not be allowed to be abused.

JAMES GANNON Penketh