On June 28, 2022, the matter was heard in North Somerset Magistrates Court.
Cross Keys Farms Ltd admitted to conducting an unauthorized slurry release. In August 2020, this caused the Somerset Frome river in Frome to become brown and stench. More than 120 mature fish, including several huge pike, roach, and chub, were killed by the slurry contamination.
He was sentenced to a £12,000 fine and told to pay £13,631.08 in fees.
Aylesbury was found guilty in 2017 of contaminating the same section of the River Frome in 2016, which resulted in the death of more than 1,700 fish.
On August 20, 2020, members of the public informed the Environment Agency of the contamination. Our analysis benefited from the evidence that local citizens collecting data for “citizen science” river monitoring supplied.
Many people were upset by the sight of dead and dying fish since it brought to mind the pollution event in 2016. One local fisherman claimed that the overwhelming scent of dead fish made him feel “physically nauseous,” and that seeing the dead fish was “heartbreaking.”
At Bollow Farm, Silver Lane, East Woodlands, slurry that had been rinsed out of a filthy livestock trailer and dumped onto a concrete yard was the source of the contamination.
Also, a pile of slurry left open to the elements was washed into the surface water drain, ending up in the river.
Environment Officers found the ditch and river smelt strongly of slurry and low in dissolved oxygen. Investigations also showed that the slurry pollution resulted in the death of most invertebrates over more than 2.6 kilometres downstream.
Andy Grant, Environment Officer, said:
It was very disappointing to find another pollution from Bellow Farm following a previous prosecution for a major incident. The river was just beginning to recover and the fish population was showing signs of improving.
Informing us of the slurry spillage and keeping an eye on nearby watercourses are two simple actions the farmer should have taken to protect the local environment.
We restocked the river following the 2016 incident and it is so disappointing to see that work undone.
Luke Kozak , a Project Manager from the Environment Agency’s Environment Programme Team said:
We are actively working with our partners in the Somerset Frome catchment to improve the water quality and habitat for people and for wildlife. Farming Wildlife advisory Group SW are leading an EA funded project focussed on working with farmers to improve their land management practices in order to reduce sediment reaching the river.
The Wild Trout Trust are leading a project in Frome Town Centre to enhance river habitat, which will also investigate the possibility of removing impoundments, increasing habitat connectivity and improving fish passage.
If anyone is concerned about pollution or an environmental incident they should call the Environment Agency’s 24-hour incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60.
Notes to editors
Charges
- Between 18 August 2020 and 27 August 2020 Michael Aylesbury did cause an unpermitted water discharge activity, namely the discharge of poisonous, noxious or polluting matter from Bollow Farm, Silver Lane, East Woodlands, Frome, Somerset into inland fresh waters
Contrary to Regulations 12(1)(b) and Regulation 38(1)(a) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016.
- On or before the 20 August 2020 at Bollow Farm, Silver Lane, East Woodlands, Somerset Michael Aylesbury failed to ensure that slurry was stored in accordance with Regulation 4(1) of the Water Resources (Control of Pollution) (Silage, Slurry and agricultural Fuel Oil) (England) Regulations 2010
Contrary to Regulation 10(1) of the Water Resources (Control of Pollution) (Silage, Slurry and agricultural Fuel Oil) (England) Regulations 2010.
Citizen science
The Bristol Avon Rivers Trust (BART) offer opportunities to carry out citizen science monitoring through their ‘RiverBlitz’ project and ‘River Fly Monitoring’ – further information can be found by visiting the BART website https://bristolavonriverstrust.org/.