'Risk to health' after polluted burn water flows onto Kinghorn Beach at beauty spot

Members of the public have been urged to stay away from a burn which flows onto a beach in Fife after the water was found to be polluted.

The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency issued the alert for Kinghorn Burn on Wednesday, after water quality was found to be “intermittently poor due to pollution”.

The environmental agency said the water could pose a risk to human and animal health, and members of the public are urged to avoid contact with the burn when visiting Kinghorn Harbour Beach.

SEPA said temporary signs have been installed at access points to the beach and will remain in place until the water quality has improved.

Kinghorn Harbour, which is a designated bathing spot in Fife, has not been affected by the health warning, and regular water testing will continue as normal.

The Fife health warning comes after swimmers were urged not to bathe or paddle in the sea at Saltcoats and Ardrossan due to a burst sewage pipe in North Ayrshire.

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Burst sewage pipe prompts ‘no bathing or padding’ warning at beach

An emergency discharge of screened sewage to the sea at Stevenson was carried out

A spokesperson for SEPA said: “SEPA are continuing to monitor the situation closely, including carrying out further water quality testing. The need for precautionary advice about the water quality in the burn will be kept under review.

“Scheduled sampling of the bathing water will continue as normal and public advice will be updated if any issues at the bathing water are identified.”

Scottish Water said active investigations have been carried out across the sewer network and wider underground drainage networks in Kinghorn to identify the source of the pollution.

A spokesperson added: “Water quality issues at Kinghorn Harbour beach have been uniquely complex and challenging, but we are committed to continuing work with partners to deliver improvement.”

Anyone who becomes unwell after contact with water from the burn, particularly with symptoms such as sickness, diarrhoea, stomach cramps or fever should seek advice from www.nhsinform.scot website or call NHS24 on 111.