A WATER company has pledged there will be no repeat of sewage discharges into a stream near a housing estate.

Northumbrian Water said faulty equipment that led to raw sewage overflowing into Rainton Burn, Houghton-le-Spring, had been removed.

The company commented yesterday after it was fined £2,000 by Sunderland magistrates in a prosecution brought by the Environment Agency.

An agency investigation was carried out after reports of raw sewage appearing along a 1.7 kilometre stretch of the burn, known locally as The Beck, between Rainton Bridge Industrial Estate and Dairy Lane housing estate.

Untreated waste caused foul odours and sewage litter along the banks of the burn.

Northumbrian Water, which was also ordered to pay £846 costs to the agency, admitted two charges of causing polluting matter to enter controlled waters.

The first report of pollution in the burn was on July 22. The problem was traced to a sewage outfall in Dairy Lane.

The court heard that although the company was alerted, there were repeats on September 10, 16 and 24. It finally agreed to remove the faulty equipment but a fifth discharge took place on October 3.

Ron Hall, the agency's environment management team leader, said: "I'm pleased with the outcome. The fine reflects the seriousness of the incidents. The company is well aware of its responsibilities.

"It has not only been fined for polluting the burn but it has resulted in it having to spend thousands of pounds rectifying the problem."

Northumbrian Water said the faulty equipment within the combined sewer chamber in Stanhope Close, Dairy Lane, had been removed, causing "minimal" environmental impact.

The chamber has also been upgraded as part of a £1.8m improvement programme.

A company spokeswoman said: "There is now no possibility of pollution recurrence due to this cause. The system was on a regular inspection regime which has been increased to ensure there are no further issues."

She said a further £1.5m would be spent to improve water quality in the area.