A water company says it is ‘serious’ about tackling storm overflows after a sewage overflow led to the cancellation of a swimming fundraiser.

As previously reported, the 3.15km Lyme Splash swimming challenge from Sandy Beach in Lyme Regis to Charmouth Beach was due to take place on Sunday, September 8.

But following heavy rain and a discharge of wastewater from a storm overflow, swimmers were told the day before that they couldn't complete the course due to health and safety reasons.

The event could not be rearranged for later this year due to Lyme Harbour’s busy timetable, and because around 50 volunteers are needed to see the event run smoothly.

Lyme Splash organiser Karen Durham-Diggins asked South West Water if it could stop the overflow, but according to the water company, this was not an option.

She said: “It is bitterly disappointing for the swimmers, and heart-breaking as the swim conditions on Sunday were perfect. It’s infuriating, everyone is really upset.”

A spokesperson for South West Water said: “Heavy rainfall across the region at the weekend, as demonstrated by the yellow weather warning for rain, caused some storm overflows in the area to activate in line with their permits.”

The company added that it is looking into ways to tackle overflows across the region.

The spokesperson for South West Water said: “We are serious about tackling storm overflows and change of this scale takes time, ambition, and increased investment.

"We are working hard to actively reduce our use of storm overflows across the region as part of record level investment.”

Storm overflows are pressure relief valves built into the water network that are an essential way to stop homes and businesses from flooding during periods of heavy rainfall, and South West Water said that reducing its use is a priority for the company. The overflows are made up of a combination of surface water and sewage, with surface water making up the majority of flows.

South West Water says it has now installed what it calls 100 per cent monitoring across storm overflows, in a bid to help it target investments where it is most needed, and the company said it will continue to ‘work hard’ to tackle this issue.

A spokesperson said it will be the first water company to meet the government's target of less than 10 spills per overflow per year, which would be more than a decade ahead of the 2040 target.

Wessex Water also operates overflows in the nearby area of Charmouth, where the swimmers would have been heading, however a spokesperson for the company confirmed that no storm overflows were in operation at that location on that date.

A spokesperson for the firm said the pipeline at Charmouth has not discharged since May.