A septic tank on an island off the Northumberland coast appears to have been spilling raw sewage onto a beach and into the sea. The tank is on Coquet Island, a nationally important seabird colony and a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), which members of the public are not allowed to land on.
Coquet Island is the only place in the UK that Roseate terns, Britain's rarest seabird, breed during the spring. It is home to more than 40,000 breeding seabirds and is also an important site for nesting puffins and Common, Sandwich and Arctic terns, while razorbill chicks fledged at the colony for the first time ever this year.
ChronicleLive understands that the RSPB is responsible for maintaining the septic tank and the pipework. The RSPB said it is aware of some "small discharges" and is waiting on the Environment Agency to approve plans for a new sewerage system and septic tank, with Natural England saying that the works are due to begin this autumn.
Photographs taken on Thursday, August 28 appear to show a sewage spill, whilst further photographs taken on July 27 this year also appear to show raw effluent flowing onto the beach below the septic tank with a dead tern lying close by. ChronicleLive has seen photographs and video dating back four years of the tank appearing to spill raw sewage.
Michael Leybourne, a former wildlife crime officer, says that he reported the septic tank to Natural England in November 2024 but claims "nothing had been done" to rectify the problem. He questioned why the RSPB had spent £140,000 on an amphibious three-wheeled boat earlier this year rather than making repairs to the tank.
The charity said that it is awaiting final approval from Natural England to install a brand new septic tank on the island. Natural England added that the main works are planned for autumn to avoid disturbing birds.
An RSPB spokesperson said: "Last week work began on an essential major renovation of the island's lighthouse and additional work teams using Trinity House, which is leading some staining of the rocks. We are seeing some small discharges that do look unsightly and reinforce why we need the Environment Agency to approve the plans we and our landlord have submitted for a new sewerage system and septic tank."
A Natural England spokesperson said: "We have been working with RSPB to ensure that a septic tank on Coquet Island is not causing damage to the environment. We are satisfied that there are no enforcement issues relating to impacts on special features of the designated site.
"Preliminary work has already been done to prepare for repairs to the waste-treatment system. The main works are planned for the autumn to avoid disturbing birds during their critical summer breeding season."