URGENT action is needed to stop pollution of the River Stour and Harwich foreshore, according to a nature lover who claims it is killing marine life.

Brian Vincent, of St Helen’s Green, Harwich, has written to Harwich and North Essex MP Bernard Jenkin and Defra to raise his concerns.

He said: “My concern is the millions of tons of harbour dredged mud being dumped into the River Stour, smothering the gravel beds.

“The effluent from Harwich sewer works of 40,000-plus people is pumped into the river daily.

“I do not know the level of treatment, but do know the biobalance of the water is seriously compromised, resulting in the rapid decline of biodiversity of marine life.

“The pollution extends to Harwich foreshore, where all marine foreshore life is dead.

“This is about twomiles downstream from Harwich sewerage works."

Mr Vincent claimed chemicals released into the river in 2012 included zinc, nickel, ammonia and arsenic.

He added deepening of the eastern side of the harbour was having an impact on tidal flow, causing sea defences to move.

Mr Vincent claimed daily erosion of the foreshorewas causing the promenade near the Low Lighthouse to sink and wanted new groynes along Harwich beach to restore the lost beach and maintain the integrity of the sea defence.

Responding, Mr Jenkin said: “The health of the Stour is essential to the ecology of one of the most beautiful pieces of English countryside.

“Concerns have been brought to my attention over the impact of several factors on the bio-balance of the water and I am going to be taking this to the Environment Agency requesting a thorough investigation.”

A spokesman for Anglian Water said its Harwich Water Recycling Centre performed well.

“The water the centre receives is cleaned to an extremely high standard before being returned to the environment,” he said.

“The water is sampled daily to ensure it meets the high standards set by our regulators and we work closely with the local authorities and the Environment Agency.

“The Environment Agency also carry out strict water sampling during the bathing water season in the nearby Dovercourt Bay area.

“Last year, Dovercourt Bay received an ‘excellent’ rating for bathing water quality and received a blue flag and seaside award.”