Clean-up volunteers from several groups join forces to tackle waste at Langstone beach

Organised by the Langstone Village Association and supported by members of Surfers Against Sewage and the Facebook group Hayling Sewage Watch, the clean saw 30 volunteers brave the weather to clear the beach at Langstone.

Andy Lewis, chairman of the Langstone Village Association, said: ‘Without people who care, the historic village of Langstone would soon suffocate under the produce of civilization.’

Volunteers noticed that a number of face masks had washed up, as well as evidence of discharges from the Budd Farm sewage outfall.

Andy added: ‘Instead of the usual waste of cans, bottles and discarded clothing, this year it was predominantly mini plastics.

‘Lifting the drying seaweed revealed packaging components, plastic caps, plastic ring pulls, cotton buds and all kinds of bathroom products.’

Nearly 20 large bags of litter were collected, as well as two boats that had been stranded on the foreshore for some time.

Mike Owens from Hayling Sewage Watch said: ‘Sewage discharges do not only affect the quality of the water it also affects the shoreline.

‘Large quantities of ear buds, sanitary products, wet wipes etc, from just one section of the beach in Langstone were recorded; such debris is clear evidence of sewage discharge where screening would appear suboptimal.’

As well as the beach at Langstone, volunteers also cleared the shoreline from Broadmarsh to Warblington, and both sides of the Hayling Bridge.

Kevin Edwards, co-ordinator of the clean, said: ‘It was really useful getting the various groups to work together in order to extend our reach.

‘As part of a national programme it has enabled local group Surfers Against Sewage to truly claim an effective nationwide outcome.

‘Personally I was shocked at the adverse impact the many sewage discharges are having on our shoreline and I hope that greater pressure will now be made to redress this.’

For more information about the Langstone Village Association, visit the website at langstone.org.

More information about Surfers Against Sewage can be found at sas.org.uk, and find Hayling Sewage Watch by searching for it on Facebook.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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