Saltburn beachgoers were horrified last week to see a huge amount of raw sewage flowing onto their local beauty spot.

Marshall Beach is used by thousands of people throughout the year and last week during the heavy rain there was a large amount of sewage discharged onto the sand.

One resident reported that young lifeguards were on the beach last weekend warning people to stay out of the water.

Read more: Northumbrian Water among water firms facing legal action over sewage

Pictures taken throughout last week reveal the sheer volume of sewage being discharged.

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Heather Lofthouse, a resident living nearby, said: “I’d gone out to walk my dogs on both occasions, during lulls in the rainy weather.

The Northern Echo: Overflow pipes released an incredible amount of sewage over the weekend

“I could see from the top of the steps to the beach that there was a problem at the bottom.

“I went to take photos, to make a record. On Wednesday there was less flooding than on Saturday but on both days on the lower promenade, there was water gushing from an old manhole and a drain.

“Around the manhole were wet wipes and toilet paper.

The Northern Echo: Manhole covers were leaking throughout the week

“On Saturday the flooding was worse and there was more sewage from the same drain.

“Two young lifeguards were warning people to keep out as it was raw sewage.

“The pipe below the caravan park flows directly into the stream below.

“It can get very smelly all year round.

“The water has previously given my dogs diarrhoea so they’re not allowed near it.

“I’ve written a letter to Northumbria Water.”

A Northumbrian Water spokesperson explained that during extremely heavy periods of rainfall either the sewage comes out of storm overflow pipes or it would come back into people’s houses.

The Northern Echo: Some sewage was released directly onto the beach

They said: “At times of heavy rainfall, all water companies use storm overflows as a relieve valve on the sewer network to help protect the homes of customers and the environment from sewer flooding.

“Such discharges happen with both permission and scrutiny from the Environment Agency.

“During and after these rainfall conditions, storm overflows discharge what is mostly rainwater, mixed with some of the contents of our sewer network, from the area affected.

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“We have invested heavily in upgrades to our wastewater network in the last two decades and beyond, and more than £80 million of investment is targeted towards improvements related to storm overflows in our current 2020-25 operating period.”

An Environment Agency spokesperson said: “There are currently no pollution warnings in place at Saltburn Beach.

“We encourage members of the public to report any suspected pollution to our 24hr incident hotline: 0800 80 70 60.”