The government has ordered Somerset farmer James Pine to pay almost £4,000 after he was found guilty of contaminating a local stream.

During a Environment Agency visit to Meare Green Farm in Stoke St Gregory, a discoloured nearby watercourse was discovered with sewage fungus clearly visible.

A yellow pipe was discharging dirty water from the farm into the stream. Mr Pine explained the pipe took roof water from the farm buildings and ran under a track between a slurry store and silage clamp.

The silage clamp had been extended over an area previously occupied by an old slurry lagoon. However, he had failed to install an impermeable base as required by the regulations and simply filled in the old lagoon and put down some hardstanding.

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This resulted in liquid silage leaking into the ground, as well as a connecting pipe ensuring slurry overflowed into the ground when the new lagoon was full.

The pollution, which occurred near the Sedgemoor Old Rhyne that lies within a Site of Special Scientific Interest and the Somerset Levels and Moors Special Protection Area for Birds, had a "significant impact" on several kilometres of watercourse.

Ian Withers at the Environment Agency said: "Farmers must ensure they have the correct pollution prevention measures in place and that their slurry stores and silage clamps are compliant with the regulations. The defendant had received two previous warnings before this latest pollution incident as well as guidance and advice from the Environment Agency. It was all the more regrettable the pollution occurred in a sensitive and highly designated part of the Somerset Levels."

Mr Pine was fined a total of £996 and ordered to pay £3,000 costs after pleading guilty to one offence under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010 and two offences relating to the Silage Slurry and Agricultural Fuel Oil Storage Regulations.

(CM/MH)