MP JULIA Goldsworthy is to hold a crisis meeting over sewage pollution on Cornish beaches, following the recent BBC Panorama programme highlighting the health risk to swimmers and surfers.

Miss Goldsworthy, MP for Falmouth and Camborne, will hold talks next month with South West Water, the Environment Agency and Cornwall Council.

Panorama showed condoms, sanitary towels and cotton buds flowing into the sea from the Red River at Gwithian.

It also highlighted specific problems at Porthtowan beach. The BBC programme screened footage of pollution being discharged onto the beaches through the combined sewage overflows (CSOs) after heavy rain.

Miss Goldsworthy responded by calling for a meeting with South West Water, which manages the sewage overflows, to ensure action is taken to prevent this problem from continuing.

She said: "Our beaches are a national treasure and an important part of Cornwall's natural landscape, as well as being vital to our economy.

"It's absolutely essential that people can bathe in our waters with absolute confidence. Panorama's investigation has raised serious concerns that must be investigated and addressed."

Miss Goldsworthy will be calling on South West Water to run a pilot scheme to make real-time updates of when overflows are being used, and alert lifeguards and the local authority if necessary.

She added: "As a minimum, South West Water should make information publicly available every time each storm water drain overflows, particularly if it could pose a potential risk to bathing water quality."