SHELL SHOCK

4000 leaks into protected waters in just two years, new data shows

- BY DAN VEVERS

SEWAGE has leaked into Scotland's protected shellfish waters nearly 4000 times in two years, shocking data shows.

Loch Fyne on the west coast and the Bay of Firth, Orkney - known as world-class destinations for seafood like oysters, scallops and mussels are among the worst-affected beauty spots.

It follows data from publicly-owned Scottish Water in April which showed sewage was dumped into rivers, lochs and seas 24,398 times last year.

Runoff from Scotland's 31,000-mile sewer network is only supposed to spill into the environment during exceptionally bad rain.