Locals fume as beautiful UK beach turned into 'toxic waste dump'

A pretty beach in Norfolk is a lovely spot for a day trip, so long as you avoid the "toxic waste" in its water, one resident said.

Locals in the Great Yarmouth seaside town of Gorleston spotted raw sewage at the beauty spot on Tuesday evening, after the local Coastwatch issued a sewage pollution alert for the seafront.

The local branch of the National Coastwatch Charity said Anglian Water was to blame for the spill, which the company said was due to strain on Gorleston's storm overflow systems following rainfall at the weekend.

"We take our environmental responsibilities seriously, with significant investment and activity underway to tackle storm overflows," a spokesperson told the Eastern Daily Press.

One resident, Drabbuh Alan, suggested that the latest spill had pushed the seafront past its limits, however. "It's a lovely beach," he said. "Just don't go near the water. [It's a] toxic waste dump."

Gorleston-on-Sea, a wide, sandy beach just five minutes from the town centre, is one of Great Yarmouth's most popular holiday destinations, complete with a long promenade, children's splash pad and an arcade.

It was named the 23rd beach in Europe in the 2025 Traveller's Choice Awards and also topped TripAdvisor's list of the best beaches on the continent in 2023 and 2024.

Tuesday's spill came less than a month after Anglian Water discharged waste at the scenic spot in the wake of Storm Eowyn in late January.

The company was among six water firms who called on regulators to let them charge customers more in February, after Ofwat approved an average rise of 29% over the next five years in December.

David Henderson, chief executive of Water UK, said: “Water companies need to invest billions to strengthen and expand infrastructure to support economic growth, secure our water supplies and end sewage entering our rivers and seas.”

Household water bills across England and Wales are set to increase by around £123 from April 1, amounting to a £10 monthly rise thereafter.

Amid news that there have been around 2,000 raw sewage spills a day so far this year, companies are continuing to face criticism for a perceived lack of investment in infrastructure since they were privatised in 1989 - despite paying out substantial dividends to shareholders.