March for the Torridge brings community together to clean up river

Come together to clean up the Torridge. That was the message of an event held in Bideford on Saturday, attended by diverse groups concerned about water pollution, including fishermen, swimmers, Women’s Institute, and environmental and heritage groups.

The aim was to trigger local community action to clean up pollution in streams and water courses along the river, whether from sewage, agricultural run-off, or road drainage. It is a model which is already proving successful in South Devon, designed to support the work of the North Devon Biosphere in a catchment-based approach, working with landowners, planners, and the water authority to find local solutions.

Andy Bell, Coordinator of North Devon Biosphere, said:

‘I am delighted to see so much community support for this issue. Community groups can get involved with testing water quality, identifying sources of pollution, and engaging with local landowners. North Devon Biosphere can provide advice, resources, and expertise linking to the wider picture of land use and land management.’

Wayne Thomas, of North Devon Angling News, who addressed the crowd, said:

‘Anglers by their nature spend many hours at the water’s edge and are often on the frontline when there are pollution incidents. I caught my first salmon over forty years ago, at a time when these iconic fish were relatively prolific, we assumed it would always be that way.

In recent decades salmon numbers have declined dramatically with around ten salmon caught from the Torridge this season. It would be tragic if as many predict these iconic fish are to become extinct during our watch! Those who value our rivers need to put our differences aside and focus on what we can do’.

The ‘March for Torridge’ was organised by Lib Dem Torridge Councillor Teresa Tinsley and enjoyed cross party support, with both Councillor Brenton (Labour) and Councillor Hames (Green), addressing the group. Conservative councillors also sent their support. Teresa Tinsley said:

‘We are poisoning one of our most cherished assets and this cannot continue. Torridge suffers disproportionately both from sewage spills and from long-standing agricultural policies which have put farmers under pressure and sidelined the environment. Not nearly enough is being done to stop pollution. Our march was not merely a protest but a way of bringing everyone concerned together to understand what can be done to restore our river to health.’