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A livestock farmer, David Thornley, is considering taking legal action against East Midlands Airport, alleging that a leaking pipe led to pollution of the brook that flows through his leased grazing land. Thornley claims that 25 of his 100 ewes lost valuable pedigree lambs after drinking from Diseworth Brook in Leicestershire in 2022. An incident in January and February of that year led East Midlands International Airport Ltd to plead guilty to violating its environmental permits by releasing water containing chemicals from holding ponds. Despite this, the airport denies any connection between the discharge and bacterial pollution in the brook.
Thornley, with over 20 years of experience as a prize-winning breeder, states that typically, he would expect to lose only 2-3% of pregnancies after embryo transfers. When he observed that 25% of his impregnated ewes were no longer carrying lambs in January 2022, he became concerned. After noticing a foul smell and brown substance in Diseworth Brook, Thornley investigated further with his son, discovering black sludge emerging from a pipe below the airport’s holding ponds. Water samples taken in February of that year confirmed bacterial pollution, rendering it unsuitable for livestock consumption, although a direct link to airport de-icing chemicals was not established.
Thornley reported his concerns to the Environment Agency (EA) immediately, prompting an investigation the following day. The airport acknowledged a small leak into Diseworth Brook in its correspondence with Thornley, indicating that the issue had been resolved in collaboration with the EA. However, the laboratory results pointed to bacterial contamination in the water, prompting Thornley to seek £50,000 in compensation. Despite Thornley’s willingness to give evidence against the airport, his testimony was no longer needed after the airport’s legal team unexpectedly entered guilty pleas before the trial. The EA awaits sentencing on July 25, but refrains from further comment at this time.
Members of the Derby Railway Angling Club support the EA’s case against the airport, citing de-icing chemicals as the cause of sewage fungus in the River Trent, posing a threat to rare fish species. The retired senior fisheries inspector, Gary Cyster, expressed disappointment at the lack of filing further charges against the airport, emphasizing the urgency to address sewage fungus and chemical contamination in the river. Cyster contends that East Midlands Airport’s policies are inadequate, imposing significant risks on local water ecosystems and rare fish populations
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