Steve Coogan, Joe Lycett and Lee Mack to protest sewage pollution

Steve Coogan, Joe Lycett, Lee Mack and Paul Whitehouse will be at the event which is led by Matt Staniek who is campaigning to end all treated and untreated sewage discharges into the lake by United Utilities. The campaign will be from 12pm - 3pm on Monday May 29. 

Save Windermere says that in 2022, 246 days of untreated sewage discharged from storm overflows into the catchment.

In the summer, the lake turned green due to algae, which the campaign blames on excessive nutrients entering Windermere from sewage discharges. Mr Staniek's campaign has had over 275,000 signatures for its petitions, more than any other on the subject of sewage pollution. Mr Staniek's campaign film has had over one million views. 

The comedians will perform short stand-up routines with Mr Whitehouse hosting. 

Mr Staniek and Lord David Clark will talk about Windermere and how it can be restored and local schoolgirl Freya will speak about the importance of protecting Windermere for future generations. 

READ MORE: Petition to clean up Windermere passes one hundred thousand signatures

A campaign spokesman said: "United Utilities continue to boast about previous investments which began nearly a decade ago, and there is no plan or timescale for their recently announced £19 million investment. The work being proposed and the work previously undertaken has not protected this country's most valuable natural asset and, last summer, left the lake potentially toxic to us, our pets and the wildlife that call Windermere home. We demand immediate action to solve the ongoing crisis facing our lake and to rectify decades' worth of damage." 

An overhead photo of Windermere in the summer (Image: Lewis Harrison)

It called United Utilities' pledges to improve infrastructure "smoke and mirrors." 

Mr Staniek said: "The most significant thing we have just received from the water industry is an apology. This apology acknowledges their responsibility for the current situation. What we lack is a comprehensive, visionary plan that guarantees the long-term protection of England's largest lake and the crown jewel of the Lake District National Park." 

A United Utilities spokesman said: “We completely understand the strength of feeling and we share the determination to improve our operations and their contribution to the overall health of Windermere. Many of us live and work in the local community and we all care passionately about the lake and the work we do on behalf of our customers.

Environmental campaigner Matt Staniek (Image: Matt Staniek)

“Our £45m investment has delivered real improvements and since 2015 we have halved the amount of phosphorus that is now entering the lake.  

“We know there is more to be done and the £19m we have recently secured in accelerated funding means we can make a start in the next two years at reducing storm overflow operations at Elterwater pumping station, Ambleside, Hawkshead and Near Sawrey wastewater treatment works.  These projects are part of a wider £41m investment in the Windermere catchment that will be delivered by 2030. 

“We remain absolutely committed to taking action to bring about further improvements and to working together with other agencies, partners and the wider community to tackle the various nutrient inputs that enter Windermere. We also await the results of the full year of scientific data collected by the FBA and Lancaster University which will provide an in-depth analysis of the lake’s health.”