Julie Maughan, 59, from Bromsgrove, is speaking out after her eight-year-old daughter Heather Preen died in 1999 following a family holiday to Dawlish Warren, Devon. Heather contracted E. coli after swimming in water Julie believes was contaminated with sewage, an experience that inspired a Channel 4 documentary and a lifelong campaign.
The Tragic Holiday
In July 1999, Julie and her husband Mark took their daughters, Heather and Suzanne, then 10, to Dawlish Warren. Before their swim, they encountered a sewage pipe spilling water onto the beach. The family tried to jump over the flow, but Heather slipped and her foot touched the water. Mark later recalled seeing toilet paper in the spillage. After swimming, Heather fell ill that very night.
Initially, Heather seemed to have a stomach upset. Julie recalls: "She had a really bad upset stomach and she came out of the bathroom really distressed. I just did what any mother would. I calmed her down, kept her off her food and made sure she drank water." But instead of recovering, Heather deteriorated over the following week.
A Rapid Decline
Heather began bleeding from her rectum, and a doctor dismissed it as colitis, prescribing an anti-sickness tablet that Julie now believes was harmful. When the bleeding worsened, Julie took Heather to another doctor, who sent them to casualty. In the hospital, medical staff struggled to get a blood pressure reading, initially suspecting faulty equipment before realizing Heather was critically ill.
Doctors diagnosed an aggressive strain of E. coli, a bacteria found in contaminated water and faeces. Other families at the beach began showing similar symptoms, and an outbreak was suspected. Heather suffered seizures through the night, and by morning, she had a massive fit. She was rushed to intensive care in Bristol, where she remained for about a week. Brain activity ceased, and Julie and Mark made the heartbreaking decision to turn off life support. Heather died on August 8, 1999.
Inquest and Aftermath
An inquest in February 2000 heard that a sewage discharge had occurred a few days before Heather swam, but South West Water and the Environment Agency said a single spill from a storm overflow four days prior was unlikely to be the source. The cause of the outbreak was never identified, and a jury returned a verdict of misadventure.
Julie has since campaigned for better water quality, but her family suffered further tragedy when her husband Mark took his own life 17 years after Heather's death, unable to cope with the grief.
Ongoing Concerns
Julie fears little has changed, alleging water companies are still illegally dumping sewage. She warns: "When I see parents now on the beach, I can't run around screaming and shouting saying 'get out of the water, get out the water' but I want them to know how dangerous it is." She describes the situation as a "public health crisis" and an "outbreak waiting to happen."
Charity Surfers Against Sewage, which supports Julie, has investigated dry spills—discharges when rainfall is below 0.25mm. Their 2025 data found 105 bathing waters experienced 7,885 hours of illegal dry spills, with 79% of those locations rated 'good' or 'excellent' for bathing. These spills can be more concentrated and harmful.
Advice for Families
Julie urges families to use the Safer Seas and Rivers Service (SSRS) app, which provides live water quality and sewage spill alerts. The app has issued 5,474 alerts so far in 2026. She advises: "Check the app. If it says it isn't safe, do something else for the day and check again tomorrow. It's not worth risking it." She also recommends using hand sanitizer and covering cuts or wounds.
Julie emphasizes that locals often know the risks and protect their children, but visitors from inland areas may not. "Just because it looks beautiful, it doesn't mean it's clean," she says. She wants parents to be informed, not to avoid holidays altogether, but to stay safe.
