Alarmed Harrogate reader throws new light on pollution spill at Oak Beck with photographs

This photo taken by Harrogate resident Adrian Davy on the morning of September 10, 2022 shows dead fish in Oak Beck after the pollution spillage.

After reading our story on Harrogate MP Andrew Jones calling for urgent action by the Environment Agency and Yorkshire Water after an unidentified pollution spill into Oak Beck, resident Adrian Davy sent us his photographs of the scene.

The Harrogate Advertiser reader’s intervention follows the discovery by Bilton conservationist Keith Wilkinson MBE, who chairs the Nidd Gorge Advisory Partnership, who had noticed that the water in the beck had changed colour and that hundreds of fish had died and were floating in the River Nidd.

But this is not the first time that discharges have caused environmental concerns at Oak Beck.

The discoloured water is visible in a photo taken by Harrogate resident Adrian Davy on the morning of September 10, 2022 at Oak Beck in the aftermath of the mystery pollution.

In 2016 Coun Matthew Webber (Lib Dem, New Park) raised the issue of raw sewerage in Oak Beck located near to the Jennyfields area as it heads towards the river Nidd alongside the Knox Mill area.

A spokesperson for Yorkshire Water admitted at the time that: "The sewer network in the area is very complicated; underground springs enter the pipes and there are several pipes that have been wrongly connected to it.

“We have an ongoing management agreement with the Environment Agency about how we look after it."

Speaking at the time, the Environment Agency said: "The Environment Agency and Yorkshire Water have previously investigated issues of discolouration and sewage fungus at Oak Beck thought to be caused by one or more missed sewer connections."

Dead fish are visible in this photo taken by Harrogate resident Adrian Davy on the morning of September 10, 2022 at Oak Beck in the aftermath of the spillage.

Whatever the cause or culprit of the unidentified spillage this time round, Andrew Jones MP is keen to see real action taken.

“This is not the first time we have seen pollutants dumped into Oak Beck,” said Mr Jones.

"I am keen that those responsible face a substantial penalty for doing so."

Mr Jones added he had written to the Environment Agency and Yorkshire Water who are investigating the issue to determined the source.

It is believed The Environment Agency or Yorkshire Water previously installed monitoring equipment at the Hydro outlet, an outlet close to John Lloyds Fitness Centre and the outlet at road bridge over the A59.