24 May 2023 , 17:44
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A string of top comedians have backed a campaign to stop the “slow death” of England’s largest lake.
Steve Coogan, Joe Lycett, Lee Mack and Paul Whitehouse have allied with Save Windermere to protect the World Heritage Site.
Founder and Cumbrian zoologist Matt Staniek says the lake is under threat by the amount of sewage pumped into it.
In 2022, there were 246 full days of untreated sewage being discharged from storm overflows into the Windermere catchment, with United Utilities the biggest culprit.
Matt said: “If sewage is going into Windermere, imagine what’s happening to your local river.
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“The most significant thing we have just received from the water industry is an apology. It acknowledges their responsibility for the current situation.
“What we lack is a comprehensive, visionary plan that guarantees the long-term protection of the crown jewel of the Lake District.”
Paul Whitehouse is backing the campaign (BBC/Samuel Palmer)The quartet of comedians will be joining Matt at a Save Windermere event at Bowness-on-Windermere on Monday.
United Utilities said: “We know there is much more to be done.”
Matt, 26, set up the campaign after he broke his neck in a car accident and daily visits to Lake Windermere became part of his recovery process.
Forced to wear a neck brace for 10 weeks, the 26-year-old took up photography in 2019 as a means to stop himself “from going completely insane”.
Encountering otters, kingfishers and dippers he said he became obsessed with the variety of wildlife that could be spotted from the bank of England’s largest lake.
But three years on he says these species have now disappeared.
Joe Lycett is among the famous names supporting Save Windermere ((Channel 4 images must not be altered or manipulated in any way) This picture may be used solely for Channel 4 programme publicity Channel 4 Picture Publicity, Horseferry Road, London, SW1P 2TX)“In this period of time I noticed something very concerning, a very sudden decline in water quality and the amount of wildlife I was seeing,” he said.
His monitoring recently found that species of invertebrates downstream from sewage treatment works at Ambleside had declined by 44 per cent.
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He has raised £16,000 in crowdfunding so far, which he says will enable him to gather evidence for the Environment Agency “to actually do their job”.