'Devastating' sewage leak ruins play equipment

A playgroup has described the impact of a sewage leak over the weekend as "devastating".

Broad Haven playgroup, a registered charity based at a Pembrokeshire primary school, estimates that it has lost thousands of pounds worth of equipment.

The equipment was stored in the playground which was covered in sewage that leaked from a sewer main under the yard on Saturday morning.

Welsh Water have since repaired the leak and sanitised the yard, but much of the play equipment had to be thrown away.

Playgroup leader Erin Watkins said the impact on their outdoor classroom was "devastating".

She said raw sewage flowing down through the playground was about a foot deep and covered the outdoor play equipment.

"At the moment, we're struggling to find things that are salvageable," she said.

"Thousands of pounds worth of equipment that has been fundraised by our local community as we are a registered charity we survive solely on donations and grants," she added.

Ms Watkins said the equipment was around 18 months old and a claim would have to be made now via their insurers, but that would be a "very long drawn-out process."

"It's going to be many, many months as lots of the equipment was bespoke to the setting," she said.

She said the cleaning process by Welsh Water was ongoing.

Jersey Middleton, a parent at the playgroup, said it was a "heartbreaking weekend".

"We're lucky to have the school's support but it's a case of seeing what we can put together," she said.

She said that she was shocked by the scale of the incident.

"The last thing you want to see is your kid's favourite play area obliterated by faeces and what have you. It is very shocking to deal with but this is a close community".