A Dorset dairy farm, Manor Farm Dairy Ltd, has been fined after discharging slurry that severely polluted a local river, affecting up to four kilometres of aquatic habitat. The farm, located in Hilfield near Dorchester, admitted responsibility at Taunton Magistrates’ Court on October 8. They were fined £6,000, and ordered to pay an additional £10,158.50 in costs. The original fine of £9,000 was reduced due to an early guilty plea.
The Environment Agency launched an investigation in March 2024 following a public report of pollution near Leigh village in Sherborne. Their inspection at Bailey Ridge Lane revealed olive-green water and surface foam, indicating slurry contamination.
Further investigation traced the pollution upstream to Manor Farm Dairy. While water near the farm’s slurry lagoons appeared clear, clear evidence of a previous overflow was found, including a “tideline” of slurry staining the riverbanks up to four feet high.
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Although the exact volume of slurry released remains unknown, the waste entered and overflowed the stream, spilling onto a nearby road. An ecological assessment confirmed significant organic pollution, resulting in severe harm to aquatic life along two kilometres of the river, with pollution still detectable 4.5 kilometres downstream.
David Womack, Senior Environment Officer at the Environment Agency, emphasized that the incident was preventable. “Farmers have been required since 1991 to securely store at least four months' worth of slurry,” he stated. “In this case, wetter weather and TB restrictions increased slurry volumes, highlighting the importance of monitoring storage capacity.”
Womack advised farmers to seek guidance on compliance and slurry calculations to prevent future pollution. He also stressed that prompt reporting of incidents is critical to minimizing environmental damage.
The slurry spill occurred on Friday, April 12, 2024, and has prompted renewed calls for strict adherence to slurry storage regulations to protect waterways.