SEWAGE has been discharged at 14 beaches across Dorset in the past 48 hours.

An interactive map from Surfers Against Sewage, a marine conservation charity, showed sewage has been discharged at West Bay, Chesil Cove and Weymouth Lodmoor.

Whilst in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole area sewage has been discharged at Bournemouth Pier, Boscombe Pier, Bournemouth Manor Steps, Branksome Chine Beach, Hengistbury Head, Friars Cliff and Avon Beach.

The map highlighted all locations as a potential pollution risk, and has had a sewer overflow within the past 48 hours.

The discharge follows a period of heavy rainfall and thunderstorms across Dorset.

A spokesperson for Wessex Water said: "Storm overflows automatically operated in those locations following intense rainfall this week.

"As usual, we alerted Surfers Against Sewage and local councils via our online notification system.

“Storm overflows are permitted by the Environment Agency and operate automatically, releasing mostly stormwater during or after intense rainfall to prevent flooding in people’s homes.

“Wessex Water is the only UK water and sewerage company to provide overflow discharge alerts 365 days a year, with complete coverage of all bathing waters in our area, and we notify Surfers Against Sewage ourselves.

“Every month we’re investing £3 million on storm overflows, starting with those that discharge most frequently or have any environmental impact.”

As reported, Wessex Water has pledged to install monitors at every sewage overflow in the southwest by the end of next year.

The company currently has monitors at more than 80 per cent of overflows in the region but has said that figure will rise to 100 per cent by the end of 2023.