RAW sewage was pumped into the River Dee just a day before more than 1,000 competitors took part in Chester's Deva Triathlon over the weekend.

Heavy downpours on Saturday gave Welsh Water the licence to open the sluice gates and legally allow raw sewage to stream into the river.

That meant sanitary products and contraceptive measures were seen floating down the river on Saturday, although fortunately they had flowed downriver by the time the Deva Triathlon field of more than 1,100 competitors took to the waters.

Dog walker Andrew Bowan, who lives in the city's Albion Street nearby, said it was an outrage that the company could legally pump sewage into the river.

"This is a popular beauty spot and a magnet for tourists – and I dread to think what they make of it all. It's absolutely disgusting and shameful,' he said.

"If the triathlon swimmers saw what they were swimming in, not one of them would go in."

A worker at Chester Boat added it was a 'disgusting' spectacle and she wouldn't even dip her toe in the water, never mind swim in it!

Responding to customer criticism of the River Dee sewage on Twitter, Welsh Water said: "During times of heavy rain there is an emergency relief valve on our system that may release treated waste.

"It's really important this is in place to prevent internal flooding to homes and businesses in the area."

Previously, City of Chester MP Chris Matheson has called for Welsh Water to improve its sewage system, saying sewer discharges at The Groves are “unacceptable and need to be phased out”.

By 2020, Welsh Water will be required to have installed an Event Duration Monitor at The Groves site to provide an annual report on the number and duration of these discharges.

In a letter to Mr Matheson in January, the Environment Agency confirmed that overflow sewerage had been pumped into the Dee at The Groves at least four times in 2017.