Anger at plan to use river to fill reservoirs

'A disaster'

- Helena Horton

With its pebble beach and shallow paddling areas, the River Wharfe at Ilkley has long been a popular swimming location in the pretty West Yorkshire town.

But plagued by sewage and agricultural runoff, the river has been designated as "poor" quality and a sign has been put up warning people against bathing in it.

Now campaigners say it has been put further at risk by Yorkshire Water's emergency drought plan to take its water to top up reservoirs.

Yorkshire went into drought in mid-June and reservoir levels continue to drop, hitting 62.9% of capacity on Monday from 66.1% the previous week, well below the August average of 87.8%.

To top them up, Yorkshire Water has been given permission by the Environment Agency to extract water from the river.