7 October 2012 Last updated at 07:17 ET

Severn Trent Water fined £25,000 fine over water pollution

A pollution incident in a Worcestershire brook has led to a fine of £25,000 for a water company.

Severn Trent Water pleaded guilty at Redditch Magistrates' Court to the discharge of sewage into the Elmbridge Brook at Fairfield, near Bromsgrove, without an environmental permit.

The Environment Agency said the pollution was "potentially toxic to aquatic life".

The firm said it had taken action to prevent such incidents occuring again.

It has agreed to inspect sewers in the area every six months.

The agency said the pollution was caused by a tree root blocking a sewer carrying waste from a nearby landfill site.