North Cheam construction firm Gleeson narrowly avoided appearing in crown court on pollution charges after admitting pumping raw sewage into a stream.

An Environment Agency investigation found work carried out by the firm killed wildlife in Wyke Beck, Leeds, including a rare and protected species of crayfish.

Gleeson Construction Services, in London Road, was fined £15,000 after pleading guilty at Leeds Magistrates' Court on Thursday, August 4, to polluting the area with raw sewage and silt water.

Magistrates said they considered it a very serious offence and only decided against referring the case to crown court because of mitigating circumstances put forward by the company.

The company said it had spent about £50,000 on cleaning up the affected stretch of the beck, and had since adopted new training procedures.

Speaking after the case, investigating environment officer Neil Rich said: "This incident was wholly avoidable and I'm delighted the court recognised just how serious it was."

Gleeson had been working on a sewer system on behalf of Yorkshire Water in December 2003 when sewage was diverted to a sewer overflow leading to the stream.