FORMER singer and environmental campaigner, Feargal Sharkey, visited Bournemouth seafront to motivate residents to help combat water pollution.

A dozen residents turned out to Southbourne beachfront on June 11 to campaign alongside Mr Sharkey and Bournemouth East Labour parliamentary candidate, Tom Hayes.

The visit was part of his ‘stop the sh** show’ tour as president of Labour’s Environment Campaign.

Tom Hayes and Feargal Sharkey (Image: Newsquest)

“From globally recognized superstar to standing on beaches talking about poo,” said Mr Sharkey.

“All I did was just see a little crack that made me curious and get a big hammer it and start banging a wedge into that crack.”

He said “not a single river in England is not polluted” and that one of the biggest sources of pollution is the water industry.

“The truth is, the water industry, the structure of it, the financing of it, the regulation and oversight of it has become an almighty car crash.”

He motivated residents to take charge and provoke action through campaigning and voting.

“You can do things you never thought were possible.

“Fates worthy of Hercules himself will be demanded of you, and you will rise to that occasion.

“And you will not only meet those expectations, you will exceed it, you will deliver it.

“Because you guys have the power in your hands to change and transform this bloody country.”

He added: “You have my utter admiration, my utter respect, and I think you should all give yourselves and Tom a thunderous round of applause.”

Tom Hayes and Feargal Sharkey with residents (Image: Newsquest)

Tom Hayes said: “We’re going to make the polluter pays for the pollution, not the consumer.

“We're going to make sure that CEO's of polluting companies can't take their bonuses and may be held responsible in the dock.

“And we're finally, finally going to clean up our rivers and seas, and that's what we're all here for.

“We've got such beautiful seas, we've got beautiful natural assets here in Bournemouth, and enough is enough.”

Feargal Sharkey also visited the Bournemouth International Centre for the GMB annual conference.

He told the fringe meeting that customers were promised lower bills and the best quality water when the industry was privatised by the Conservatives.