Searching for the source of Windermere

AN ACTIVIST who has “watched sewage destroy” Lake Windermere has trekked deep into the mountains of the Lake District to find the source of England's “crown jewel”.

- BY STEPH SPYRO

Matt Staniek embarked on a journey to show Britons “what water in the Lake District should look like” amid an ongoing battle with water company United Utilities.

The campaigner said: “This is England's largest lake and it's dying.

“I grew up on its shores and I've watched sewage destroy the place that I love, the place that is cherished by millions of people.

“For the past four years, I've been fighting the water company that's been dumping sewage into our lake, exposing pollution, illegal activity and lies.”

After breaking his neck in a car accident, Matt went to Lake Windermere every day for three years while he recovered physically and mentally and saw it being impacted by a rise in water temperature, flooding, tourism and inadequate wastewater infrastructure.

Matt, who has released a video highlighting his journey to the source of Windermere, wanted to counter claims that farming is causing as much devastation to the lake as sewage.