Yesterday (26 February), the government set out plans to designate the largest ever number of new bathing water sites.

The sites being considered for designation include the River Frome at Farleigh Hungerford.

 Responding to the announcement, Sarah Dyke, the Liberal Democrat MP for Somerton and Frome, said: "When I was Lead Member for the Environment and Climate Change at Somerset Council, I wrote in support of Farleigh Hungerford's bid to become an official bathing water site, so I welcome this news.

"But it doesn't alter the fact that, in the past two years, over 400,000 hours of sewage have been discharged into bathing water sites and Wessex Water will still be able to dump sewage into the River Frome.

A graphic supplied by the Liberal Democrats which they say show the dumps by water companies year on year

 "Conservative Ministers have finally buckled to Liberal Democrat demands for more bathing water sites and been dragged kicking and screaming to take action on water quality.

"However, this is yet another half-baked announcement, which won't stop sewage being dumped into bathing water areas and won't prevent swimmers from getting sick."