A claim has been made by Lib Dem candidate, Cllr Glyn Preston, who has labelled the River Severn running through Newtown as the third most polluted river in England and Wales in terms of sewage dumps.

Cllr Preston, representing the Liberal Democrats in the general election for the new seat of Montgomeryshire & Glyndwr, reminisced about his childhood days swimming in the Severn near his Llandinam home without any concerns. He is now advocating for the introduction of blue flag status to protect the river and ensure that future generations can enjoy its beauty.

Highlighting the importance of the natural environment in Mid Wales, Cllr Preston criticized the Labour Government in Wales and the Conservative Government in London for failing to address the issue of sewage pollution seriously. He emphasised the need for stricter fines for water companies that continue to discharge sewage into rivers.

According to information released by the Liberal Democrats, last year saw over 30,000 hours of sewage dumping into the River Severn, with a total of 3,057 spills recorded.

This alarming trend places the Severn as the third-worst hit river in England and Wales, following only the River Calder and River Avon.

With the General Election date not yet confirmed, the lineup of candidates for the Montgomeryshire & Glyndwr seat includes Plaid Cymru's Elwyn Vaughan, Labour's Steve Witherden, Lib Dems' Glyn Preston, Reform UK's Oliver Lewis, Conservatives' Craig Williams, and Green Party's Jeremy Brignell-Thorp.