Chicken producer denies claims their farm manure is polluting the River Wye

A legal claim potentially worth hundreds of millions of pounds has been launched by a law firm in a bid to compensate thousands of people living in the Wye catchment affected by a major degradation of the River Wye.

ITV News Central Business Correspondent Mark Gough reports.

The law firm, Leigh Day, has taken legal action on Avara Foods Limited, a leading food producer in the UK, over allegations it has caused severe pollution in the River Wye and its surrounding areas, through its chicken farming operations.Leigh Day alleges that Avara Foods' activities have been the main source of phosphorous pollution in the River Wye, leading to the river's significant degradation.

The firm argues that Avara Foods should not only stop its polluting practices, but also clean up the mess and compensate those impacted.

This includes local residents, businesses and recreational users of the river, such as swimmers and canoeists, who say their lives and livelihoods have suffered.The legal battle will involve claims of both private and public nuisance by people living in the wider area surrounding the River Wye, encompassing parts of Powys, Herefordshire, and Monmouthshire.

The claimants range from local property owners to members of the community engaging in outdoor and leisure activities, all of whom say they have been adversely affected by the pollution.According to the law firm, the issue stems from the rapid expansion of the chicken industry in the area, with Avara Foods allegedly responsible for the majority of the chicken population in the River Wye catchment.

The high-intensity farming required to meet the demands of large supermarkets, like Tesco, has led to a significant increase in phosphorous-rich manure seeping into the river, causing harmful algal blooms and reducing water quality.This lawsuit is not the first of its kind for Avara's parent company, Cargill Plc, which faced similar allegations in the US for polluting the Illinois River.

Leigh Day says it is determined to hold Avara Foods accountable for the alleged environmental damage and is seeking substantial compensation for those affected, while also pushing for actions to prevent further pollution of the River Wye.

Leigh Day partner Oliver Holland said: “We consider that the significant decline in the health of the River Wye over the last few years is clearly linked to the significant increase in intensive poultry farming in the main brought about by Avara Foods.

"The lives and livelihoods of those living in the River Wye area are being significantly impacted only to the benefit of Avara Foods, a subsidiary of US multinational Cargill Plc.

"This destruction of one the UK’s most beautiful natural areas cannot continue, which is why we are bringing this legal action.” The claim is supported by charity River Action. Chair and founder Charles Watson said: “With around a quarter of the country’s chickens now being reared in the catchment of the River Wye, the waste emitting from this totally unsustainable concentration of poultry production has blighted communities across the region. “With a huge percentage of this industry controlled by Avara, it is entirely appropriate that the polluter must now be made to pay to clean up the mess we believe it has created and subsequently profited from.

"We therefore applaud this action being taken by Leigh Day to seek recompense for the pollution of this magnificent river.”

A spokesperson from Avara said:

“This is a year-old, opportunistic attempt to profit from a serious environmental issue. It has no merit and is not supported by evidence or expert opinion. It ignores the long-standing use of phosphate-rich fertiliser by arable farms as well as the clear scientific data showing the issue of excess phosphorus considerably pre-dates the growth of poultry farms in the Wye catchment.

"We are confident that there is no case to defend but, if forced to do so, we would pursue Leigh Day to recover any costs we incur.”

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