The state of Welsh rivers is a topic which has been dominating the headlines in recent years with warnings that pollution from agriculture is “killing” some waterways.

Now, the Archbishop of Wales, Revd Andrew John, has added his voice, calling the abuse of rivers “indefensible”.

During a meeting held in Newport, he told members of the Church in Wales that raw sewage and farming practices were killing rivers, referring to the “tragic” situation in the Wye Valley.

In 2023, pollution levels in the River Wye led to its status being reclassified from “unfavourable-improving” to “unfavourable-declining”, with key species like salmon and white-clawed crayfish experiencing decline.

It comes after campaign group River Action took legal action against the Environment Agency over chicken poo pollution. The Environment Agency told ITV Wales they could not comment on the active legal proceedings.