Raw sewage has been leaking from a faulty outfall pipe at the jetty on Peel beach for a week, it's been confirmed.

Manx Utilities has told manx.net news that bathers should take 'precautionary action' but it has stopped short of telling people they should not use the beach.

There's been criticism from Friends of the Earth. Spokesman John Griffiths said: 'If they have known about this, why haven't they been notifying the public that there is a health risk for bathers? In the past two days I have seen small children paddling there.'

A spokesman for Manx Utilities said a leak from the pipe was detected during a routine inspection. The results of sampling show the water quality is poor. There is no sewage treatment plant in Peel or along much of the western coastline, with raw sewage being pumped into the sea, although a scheme to create one is being progressed.

A Manx Utilities spokesman said: 'Unfortunately we now have an issue with the pipe that cannot be fixed overnight. We are working with various agencies to resolve the problem. The pipe is only visible at low tide and so we are looking at using divers as part of our investigations into how to deal with the leak.'

UPDATE: Subsequent statements issued by Manx Utilities and the goverment:

Manx Utilities statement: An inspection carried out by Manx Utilities has identified a small leak from a chamber in Peel’s sewage outfall pipe. The chamber is located below the low water mark beneath sand next to the groyne that juts out into the bay at the harbour end of Peel beach. Officers from Manx Utilities, Peel Commissioners and the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture’s Environmental Protection Unit are meeting this afternoon (Wednesday 09 September 2015) to discuss options to rectify the issue. Divers will assess the extent of the damage to the chamber to enable the necessary repairs to be planned and costed.

DEFA statement: Routine sampling of bathing water quality has indicated that the standard at Peel Beach has dropped to ‘poor’ following a series of ‘good’ results and those who might wish to bathe from the beach are advised to take a cautionary approach. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture has started the process of working with the relevant authorities to ensure that appropriate action to respond to the situation is taken as soon as is reasonably practicable.

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