Southern Water has used its Isle of Wight outfall discharge pipes for nearly 1,000 hours in recent weeks.

One West Wight resident has branded the use of Colwell Bay's Norton Transfer as 'unbelievable' - discharge was pumped for more than 320 hours, between December 27 and January 10.

According to the utility firm's self-reporting site, Beach Buoy, there have also been nearly 400 hours of discharge off Ryde, from the Appley Park Transfer pipe, since December 27.

At Bembridge, the Lane End Road pipe was used for 153 hours, between January 6 and 12.

Yaverland's Sandown 2 pipe, was used for 102 hours, between January 6 and January 10. 

Bathing water quality is not monitored by the Environment Agency over the winter months.

An Isle of Wight County Press reader said: "Colwell Bay smells of sulphur and the water along the coast is taupe soup.

"It’s hard to believe this is allowed to happen."

Southern Water now classes its discharge differently and some of the above incidents are considered to be 'non impacting', due to the tidal conditions.

The firm insists discharge is not raw sewage, but a storm water mix, containing only treated matter, and it only uses the pipes to prevent the system becoming overwhelmed.

Meanwhile, the government plans to tackle the problem but change is unlikely to take effect until at least 2035.

By then, it says there will be 70 per cent fewer discharges into bathing waters and by 2040, approximately 160,000 discharges, on average, will have been eliminated.