Campaigners have presented to a drainage engineer photographic and written evidence about sewage spewing into the Aire Valley.

Chris Wotherspoon met campaigners who are demanding a ban on housing development in the valley until the sewage system is improved.

They claim it is overloaded and that filth regularly escapes from manholes into water courses.

Mr Wotherspoon is working for Babtie drainage engineers, who have been hired by Bradford Council to investigate the capacity of the sewers.

John Walker, of Halstead's Way, Steeton, who is calling for wide scale improvements in the valley, arrived for the private meeting armed with graphic photographs of the problem.

"We told him about our concerns and what we have found out about the system over the years," he said.

One photograph showed a leaking manhole cover surrounded by filth running into a beck. Another revealed condoms and sanitary towels around the exit of a combined sewage overflow at the side of the River Aire.

Joining him were Jan Burgoyne and Janet Mitchell, of Silsden Town Action Group, who have opposed plans for hundreds of new homes in the town in Bradford's Unitary Development Plan.

Also present was Penny Ward, of the Aire Valley Conservation Group.

Mrs Burgoyne said: "We have been saying all along - ever since the inquiry into the UDP in 1995 - that the sewers in the valley cannot cope and there should be no more housing until they have been improved."

Councillor John Cope, who also attended the private meeting, said: "I am concerned to know whether the sewers have the capacity to cope.

"We need to find out, objectively, what the situation is so the developments can be carried out or, if there are problems, find out if they will prevent development."

Yorkshire Water last summer carried out a drainage-area survey to look at the impact on the system of a proposed 1,500 new houses in the valley.

It revealed that adding new housing development to the existing system would cause detrimental flooding to pipes running under Silsden.

Yorkshire Water intends starting work on a five-year project to increase sewer capacity this year.

A spokesman said: "We are aware that Bradford Council is employing external consultants to look at the drainage area study that has been done. Yorkshire Water is co-operating fully and awaits the outcome."

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