NORTHUMBRIAN Water has been fined following a sewage spill in a beck which killed 2,000 fish.
The company was found guilty of causing raw sewage to enter Beechburn Beck at Howden-le-Wear, County Durham, on September 11 last year.
Durham magistrates imposed a fine of £3,500 with £1,218 costs yesterday.
The court was told that members of the public had reported sewage in the beck.
Environment Agency staff found that a combined sewer overflow was discharging raw sewage because of a blockage.
The blockage was cleared by Northumbria Water, but the sewage which had already been discharged killed about 2,000 fish of different species.
The company said it regretted the incident, but said it was due to circumstances beyond its control.
A spokesman said: "We have a regular maintenance regime and respond immediately to incidents like this."
Byran Whitfield, of the Environment Agency, said: "We take any breach of environmental laws very seriously and will continue to bring to book anyone who abuses them.
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