A Preston farming business has been fined and ordered to pay costs totalling more than £10,000 for polluting a watercourse and breaching slurry storage regulations.
E & A Forshaw (Partnership) operate a dairy farm at Bolton Fold Farm in Alston, Preston.
They appeared at Lancaster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 7 January 2025 for sentencing following a prosecution brought by the Environment Agency.
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E & A Forshaw (Partnership) were fined £3,000 and ordered to pay costs for £7,301.70, as well as a £300 victim surcharge.
Slurry is made up of animal manure and water which farmers use as a natural crop fertiliser.
Nicki Rushton, Area Environment Manager for the Environment Agency, said: “Regulations on how to construct slurry stores have been in place for more than 30 years.
“All farmers need to be aware of their legal responsibilities to prevent pollution events like this from happening.
“We will take action against anyone who fails to act in accordance with environmental laws.”
The partnership pleaded guilty in November last year to two charges of an illegal discharge of slurry into Tun Brook, and one of breaching regulations around the storage of slurry by extending it too close to the watercourse.
Pollution incidents can be reported to the Environment Agency on their 24-hour incident hotline on 0800 807060.
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