Campaigners and water users gathered today at Lyme Regis as part of the nationwide Paddle-Out Protest organised by Surfers Against Sewage (SAS). Lyme Regis was one of 56 locations across the UK taking part in the demonstrations calling for an end to raw sewage discharges into rivers and seas, alongside demands for better monitoring and greater transparency from water companies.
At midday, swimmers, paddleboarders, gig rowers and other sea users entered the water from Lyme Regis’s sandy beach in a symbolic protest against pollution affecting Britain’s waterways. Local organisers had asked participants to gather from 11.30am before paddling out together at noon.
SAS said communities across the South West were protesting “against South West Water’s shocking record of sewage pollution”. The charity argues that repeated sewage spills are harming marine ecosystems, threatening public health and undermining confidence in bathing waters.
The Lyme Regis event was supported locally by campaigners including the River Lim Action Group and local SAS representatives. Organisers described the protest as part of growing national pressure on the Government, regulators and water companies ahead of proposed reforms to the water industry.
Across the country, similar demonstrations were held on beaches, rivers and lakes as campaigners demanded tougher regulation and investment to tackle sewage pollution.
