A report into how 39,000 gallons of waste water leaked over fields and roads from the Stambridge sewage plant has been delayed.

Environment Agency bosses have been interviewing officials from plant operator Anglian Water and others since launching a probe into the pollution spill last month.

While refusing to disclose any details of their findings they have reiterated that prosecution of Anglian Water is a distinct possibility.

The report was due to be made public last week but because relevant staff have been on leave they have not been able to complete all their interviews.

An agency spokesman said today (Friday): "We expect the report to be published imminently. There have been a few delays but it is nearly completed."

Another report into the spill by Anglian Water bosses will be presented to residents and Stambridge parish council at a special meeting on Wednesday, June 28.

A spokesman for the company declined to outline what conclusions they had reached and would only say: "We have made a commitment to present it to the people of Stambridge first."

The leak happened on May 19 after a temporary pipe, put in because existing pipes kept blocking up, burst and spread waste water across verges, roads and a nearby potato crop.

It emerged later that the pipe was not alarmed. It was only discovered because a Stambridge resident was out walking his dog at the time.

The clean-up operation took nearly two days to complete.

The plant has been beset with problems from before it was granted its operating licence in December last year.

It is designed to convert all sewage from Southend into an environmentally-friendly soil conditioner.

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