'Hook a poop' protest staged in Hebden Bridge over river sewage levels

The public were invited to play a carnival-inspired 'Hook a Poop' in Hebden Bridge town centre where people were given 32 seconds to scoop as many plastic poops out of the water as they could, representing the 32,732 hours that raw sewage was discharged into the River Calder in 2023 – an average of 11.3 times a day – officially making it the most polluted river in the country.

Spokesperson Matt Paton, one of around a dozen protestors taking part, said: "Yorkshire Water claim they are investing in the region's sewage treatment network, but we all know that's only because of public outrage over the past few years, so we have to keep the pressure up.

"While 'hook a poop' was a playful action, there's a serious message for the new MP and Labour government abour preventing further damage to our environment.

"The River Calder being one of the most polluted rivers in the country should be a cause for embarrassment.

"We're asking people to get in touch with their local councillors and MPs, reminding them that now is the time to hold the water companies accountable.”

A Yorkshire Water spokesperson said: “We are determined to play our part to improve water quality in the region’s watercourses, including the Calder.

"This financial year alone we are investing almost £800m in infrastructure improvements throughout Yorkshire, which includes significant projects at wastewater treatment works and storm overflows on the Calder and its tributaries.

"Our river health team are also engaging with the Calder Rivers Trust to collaborate on improving water quality, fish migration and improving flood resilience, which we know is hugely important to Calderdale.

"Later this week Ofwat will provide its draft determination on our plans for 2025-2030, which outlined our largest ever environmental investment, including more than £1bn earmarked to further reduce the operation of storm overflows throughout the region."