A stretch of the River Thames is to become a designated bathing site and will undergo regular checks to ensure it is safe for swimming.

Part of the Wolvercote Mill Stream, a popular site for wild swimming near Oxford, is just the second spot in England to receive the status.

The move followers calls from campaigners to clean up open water areas and reduce levels of untreated sewage being discharged by water companies.

Once added to the list of designating bathing waters, along with East Cowes Esplanade on the Isle of Wight, the Environment Agency will regularly test water quality at the sites between May and September.

Environment Minister Rebecca Pow said: “The residents of Oxford and the Isle of Wight have shown their overwhelming approval for these sites as places to enjoy and connect with nature, so I am pleased to see these locations receiving designated bathing water status.

“While bathing water quality has improved in recent years and England now has the cleanest bathing waters since records began, we know that water quality at these sites won’t change overnight.”

Ms Pow said it would take time to achieve the necessary improvements and that “all those with a role to play must commit”.

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“We are continuing to drive up the quality of lakes, rivers and seas for the public to enjoy through the measures in our Environment Act, and I would encourage more applications for popular bathing areas, both inland and coastal, that may also be suitable for designation.”

The announcement follows plans unveiled by the Government in March to tackle the number of discharges of untreated sewage from storm overflows by water companies, including discharges into bathing waters.

A stretch of the River Wharfe in Ilkley, West Yorkshire, was the first in England to be designated a bathing site in 2020, after a campaign from people in the area.

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