Less than a month after receiving official bathing status from the Welsh Government, the section of the River Wye near The Warren in Hay-on-Wye has been closed to the public due to concerns over water quality.

This decision follows a swift response by Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and Powys County Council (PCC) after monitoring revealed a significant level of bacteria in the river.

The River Wye had recently been granted official bathing water status, a move welcomed by local campaigners. This status would have mandated regular monitoring of water quality at The Warren, near Hay-on-Wye. Cllr Gareth Ratcliffe expressed his concern over the situation: "I would like to thank NRW and PCC for their prompt action on this matter. It is distressing to discover such high bacterial levels shortly after the implementation of bathing water status.

“The landowner, The Warren committee, and Hay Town Council had previously raised objections to the bathing status designation, citing significant regulatory and policy concerns regarding public safety due to inadequate assessments before the designation as well as environmental concerns.”

The closure of this popular site due to poor water quality is expected to have adverse effects on both residents and visitors.

Cllr Ratcliffe Added: "The Warren is still open and we encourage people to continue using the site but urged all residents and visitors to adhere to the public health advisory and refrain from swimming or allowing children and pets to play in the water until further notice.

"In light of this development, I will be calling upon NRW and PCC to conduct a thorough investigation into the source of this pollution.

"The River Wye holds significant ecological and recreational value, being one of the longest rivers in the UK, and it is crucial that we safeguard its environmental health."

The closure notice issued by PCC advises members of the public to avoid entering the water at The Warren until further notice. Tests will be taken every two weeks to monitor the river.

For further updates on the status of the River Wye at The Warren, residents and visitors are encouraged to monitor official announcements from PCC and NRW.