Punk legend Feargal Sharkey issues rallying call to Shropshire river campaigners

Feargal Sharkey made his name as vocalist in the Undertones but has become more familiar in recent years for his work campaigning to improve water quality in the UK's rivers.

He joined a 'people's assembly' event held in Shrewsbury to address a group working to improve water quality in the River Severn, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, and across the country.

The event, at Theatre Severn, was organised by the local campaign group Up Sewage Creek, and saw around 40 campaigners marching their way to the venue, singing 'clean up to the river' and waving sticks artfully dressed to represent 'water crowfoot', a species which has disappeared from local rivers in recent years.

Sharkey joined the meeting via video-link and addressed the campaigners on a giant screen.

He delivered a rousing pitch, speaking of the failure of regulators, government, and the water industry, in tackling the issue of river pollution, saying steps were only now being taken because of the public spotlight on the issue.

He said: "They are demanding you will pay a second time for a sewage service you have already paid for and never received."

He added: "We need a root and branch review, a restructuring of an industry that has spectacularly failed customers and the environment."

During a Q&A he was asked about how local residents who carry out testing of rivers and waterways can gather and collate results.

He said that he welcomed people taking part - but said regulators are well aware of the issues already.

He said: "If it is getting people involved in standing in rivers, standing next to rivers I am all for it, but what we need to be very, very careful of is being sent down a blind alley by a regulatory system that already knows what the problems are."

He added: "I think it is time, we need to stop playing their game and we need to disrupt their game and come up with our own strategies."

He also warned people against good meaning actions which serve to 'enable' the existing status quo.

Earlier Councillor Kate Halliday, who was co-chairing the event told the audience that the issue of water pollution had reached the forefront of public consciousness through the dedicated actions of campaigners.

She said: "The issue is only going to get better because of local people campaigning - not just in Shrewsbury, but across the country."

The councillor said that although moves were being taken to address water pollution "more needs to be done".

Claire Kirby, from Up Sewage Creek, had opened the event, explaining their success in raising the issues of pollution.

She welcomed Severn Trent's own plans to clean up river quality in Shrewsbury but said the public were paying for the work, with significant increases in their bills.

She said: "There must be a better way to do things."

The event included a showing of the local film 'Severn Wild' before group discussions on the question 'how will we ensure that future generations have clean water and healthy river ecosystems'.

The results of the discussions will be sent to the People's Commission for the Water Sector, and to the MP Clive Lewis, who is introducing a private members bill to parliament calling for the renationalisation of the water industry.