A YOUNG rower spoke out in the Houses of Parliament about the perils of sewage in the Thames.
Conor Newman-Walley, 15, from Chiswick, was joined by his two fellow youth rowers, Helen Yang and Paros Loftus, when he spoke at a Thames Tunnel debate hosted by Richmond MP Zac Goldsmith at the end of last month.
The group set up an environmental campaign organisation called Rowers Against Thames Sewerage (RATS) to ensure the super sewer is built.
Conor’s father, Nigel Walley said: “It was very daunting but he got up and gave his speech and it was very well received. He is a confident fellow and even made a few jokes which went down well.
“Conor has always used the river and him and his friends decided to do something about the high levels of sewage in the water, the infrastructure is Victorian and whenever it rains sewage just floods into the river.”
The schoolboy, a pupil at Latymer School in Hammersmith, has been rowing for three years and often swims in the river with his family.
However, while Conor is in the school council, his father said he is more likely to grow up to be an environmental film maker than a politician.
