A MASSIVE clean-up has taken place at a Preston park after sewage leaked into a local brook.

Parents using the Broughton Tower park, off Eastway, were sickened to see their children playing in the brook after a pipe intended to be a land drainage outlet from a nearby housing estate was wrongly connected to provide an escape for domestic sewage.

Inspectors from the Environment Agency in Bamber Bridge were called, and started a clean-up immediately.

But, more than three weeks on from the first spill, locals are still concerned that the foul-smelling and potentially dangerous sewage is still seeping into the brook, leaving local children who play in the park at risk.

Local councillor Marie Milne said: "It was a sickening sight to watch children playing in it. Broughton Tower park is a very nice park and is very well used. I've been told it was a mistake but it seems a very stupid and very obvious one to make."

The park is surrounded by housing estates, and is well used by youngsters, dog-walkers and mothers pushing prams.

Broughton Tower Brook runs through its centre, acting as a tributary for Moss Leach Brook.

An Environment Agency spokesman said: "We were first informed of the spill about three weeks ago and we did go down and inspect it.

"As a result, the building company responsible instigated an immediate clean-up, which was monitored by our inspectors.

"We have had further calls suggesting that more leaks have taken place but as far as we are concerned any sewage there now is just remnants of the first spill.

"The pipes have now been corrected so there shouldn't be any problems in future."

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