ROWERS enjoying a trip along the picturesque River Colne had to wade through a stomach-churning brown mass which they believe could be dumped sewage.

Wivenhoe Gigs Rowing Club took to the water as usual but soon noticed a “brown scum” floating on the surface at the end of the town’s Hard.

It comes after last October when MPs faced a backlash after voting against amending a bill to stop water companies dumping raw sewage into Britain’s rivers and seas.

Only 22 Conservatives - including Harwich and North Essex MP Sir Bernard Jenkin - rebelled against the Government by voting for an amendment to the Environment Bill, which would have forced a legal duty upon water companies not to pump sewage into waters.

And as the Wivenhoe rowers continued to row out, they realised the dirty substance was thick in the centre of the water and, despite their efforts to avoid it, it had plagued the water.

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Lorraine James, the club’s joint captain, says she believes it stretched out for more than a mile.

“Normally if there’s something on the water like that you can row and get away from it, but this went all the way down past Alresford Creek,” said Lorraine, who has rowed for ten years.

“I believe it is sewage which hasn’t been treated fully and instead dumped into the water; it was just everywhere, particularly in the middle of the river.

“It was horrible and it stuck on the oars and on the boat, and it was all over our boots. We had to wash down the boat afterwards as it was everywhere.

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“We didn’t know what it was and it certainly wasn’t pleasant going through it. Some people have suggested it could be an algae bloom which has thrived thanks to sewage.”

In response to backlash last October, Colchester MP Will Quince explained he believed the Government is, in fact, supposedly helping to deal with the issue of sewage dumping.

He said: “Of course, I share the concerns of Colchester residents about the use of storm overflows.

“Any suggestion that MPs are not taking firm action on storm overflows is simply not true.”

An Environment Agency spokeswoman said: “We received a report of sewage on the River Colne which we believe is likely to be related to the growth of algae.”

“As algae die, brown foam can form on the surface which is often mistaken for sewage. This can accumulate through tide and wind action, forming thicker blankets.”

“Members of the public should report suspected pollution as soon as possible to our free 24-hour Incident Hotline on 0800 80 70 60.”