Wessex Water is to appear in court at Swindon on Monday, November 11 for sentencing for an incident in Melksham six years ago in which more than 2,000 fish died.

A Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs spokesperson said the Bath-based water company had pleaded guilty at a hearing in May to four offences of contravening environmental regulations.

The Defra spokesperson said the discharge at Clackers Brook in Melksham resulted in the deaths of more than 2,000 fish, including eels, lampreys and bullheads, all threatened species.

The company admitted discharging storm water at Bowerhill Lodge Sewage Pumping Station into Clackers Brook, Melksham, between March 27, 2018 and April 3, 2018, otherwise than in accordance with an environmental permit.

The company will also be sentenced for a discharge of screened sewage between July 29, 2018 and August 2, 2018 at Bowerhill Lodge Sewage Pumping Station.

The charge said the discharge was made as a result of the pumping station becoming inoperative due to mechanical and electrical breakdown when the breakdown could have been prevented.

Wessex Water also admitted failing to notify the Environment Agency immediately that discharges had occurred from outlet A at Bowerhill Lodge Sewage Pumping Station between March 26, 2018 and August 21, 2018.

The company admitted an offence of discharging untreated sewage effluent into the marsh rhyne system on land adjacent to Wick St Lawrence Sewage Treatment Works in North Somerset on or before August 20, 2018, otherwise than in accordance with an environmental permit.

A Defra spokesperson said stickleback and pike fish died following the Wick St Lawrence discharge.