Eastbourne MP Caroline Ansell went 75ft underground on a visit to the town’s subterranean waste treatment works - which is colloquially known as ‘poo castle’.

The MP organised the tour for members of Eastbourne Swimmers to receive a briefing from Southern Water on the plans ahead and to see first-hand operations that process wastewater from around 120,000 local homes each day.

The group saw the storm station, biological or ‘bug’ treatment area and first stage filter site which separates out grit and grease at the building in Prince William Parade.