Bathers complained of the strong smell of poo after spending a day at an Aberystwyth beach.

Bethan Price raised the alarm after being “hit by a strong smell of sewage” when walking past the harbourside pumping station just upstream from South Beach, where she and many others had just spent a day during the early May Bank Holiday.

She was especially concerned because no rain had fallen that day in the town, which is the main legal reason for raw sewage to be leaked into the sea.

After raising a complaint with regulator Natural Resources Wales (NRW), she said: “This was especially concerning after spending the day at the beach, where both holidaymakers and local residents were swimming in the sea right by the river mouth.

“It’s deeply frustrating that we cannot fully trust the safety of our natural environment.

“Our rivers and seas are central to both local life and tourism, and they deserve better protection.”

The Dŵr Cymru/ Welsh Water website confirmed that there had been a spill on Saturday 3 May lasting one hour, with another spill occurring 48 hours before lasting for 6.25 hours.

Dŵr Cymru apologised for the spill, which they state was caused by a fault at the Tan y Cae Pumping Station.

A spokesperson said: “A technician was dispatched to repair the fault, and the site was back operating as it should by mid-afternoon on 3 May.

“We apologise for this and thank customers for their understanding.”

NRW confirmed it was looking into the incident, with a spokesperson calling for other concerns to be reported: “We will take any necessary action once the investigation is complete and findings have been fully assessed.

“Suspected pollution incidents can be reported to NRW via our 24/7 incident line 0300 065 3000 or online.”