Anglian Water is keen to recruit an ‘army’ of river watchers charged with reporting any instances of pollution in East Anglia’s waters.

The firm is stepping up its ‘Pollution Watch’ campaign and is asking the public to help protect and preserve the environment across the region.

The scheme will raise awareness of the action people should take if they see any cases of pollution, with Anglian Water aiming to act swiftly to reduce the impact on the environment.

Dr Lucinda Gilfoyle, Anglian Water’s head of environmental quality, said: “River pollutions most commonly occur when our pipes become blocked with unflushable items such as fats, wipes, cotton buds or sanitary items - all things that shouldn’t be in the sewer in first place.

“Blockages mean sewage can’t make its way through the network as normal. This means used water, including sewage, may escape and cause flooding or pollution.”

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