Somerset farmer fined £12,000 for River Frome pollution

A farmer in Somerset has been fined £12,000 for slurry pollution in the River Frome, which led to the death of more than 120 fish.

Michael Aylesbury, a director of Cross Keys Farms, pleaded guilty to causing an unpermitted discharge of slurry, which happened between 18 and 27 August 2020 from Bollow Farm, Frome.

Members of the public carrying out river monitoring alerted the Environment Agency (EA) to the pollution after the river turned “brown and smelly”.

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Mr Aylesbury was also charged with failing to ensure slurry was stored in accordance with control of pollution regulations in England.

In 2017, Mr Aylesbury was found guilty of polluting this same stretch of the River Frome in 2016, killing more than 1,700 fish.

EA officer Andy Grant said: “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.”

Mr Aylesbury was also ordered to pay costs of £13,631. The was case heard at North Somerset Magistrates’ Court on 28 June 2022.

The EA says that if anyone is concerned about pollution or an environmental incident, they should call the its 24-hour incident number on 0800 80 70 60.