UNITED Utilities and Hyndburn Council have been fined after sewage was pumped into a brook.

Accrington Magistrates heard how raw sewage had twice been discharged into Clough Brook, Huncoat, from a nearby sewage pumping station.

The water company and local authority pleaded guilty to causing sewage effluent to be discharged, although there is no suggestion that it was intentional.

The court fined Hyndburn Borough Council £5,000 and United Utilities £2,000.

Jane Morgan, prosecuting for the Environment Agency, said they considered the incidents, caused by faulty pumps, to be serious and that the two groups had fallen short of standards the public was entitled to expect. Jennifer Ware, a spokesperson for United Utilities said the incident was regrettable, but said £80,000 had been been spent on Huncoat Pumping Station since the incident.

She added that Hyndburn Borough Council was responsible for the day-to-day running of the station and that it had been reprimanded for letting the standards slip.

She said: "We are concerned that a discharge took place. Something was done immediately to stop it happening again and we have let Hyndburn Borough Council know they have fallen short of what we expect."

The action was brought after sewage was found to have be discharged into the brook on March 16, and April 13 2000.

United Utilities had to pay £411,56 costs, and Hyndburn Borough Council £904.75 to the Environment Agency.

Nobody from Hyndburn Council was available for comment.