Over the weekend the amount of sewage spilling into the harbour appeared to be so bad locals tried desperately to alert the authorities including Yorkshire Water and Scarborough Council.

Sewage including used tampons and toilet paper was flowing out of a broken manhole on the slipway near Tin Ghaut car park straight into the harbour.

It’s believed the manhole had burst its top off earlier this month over Whitby Regatta when storm overflow pumps at Endeavour Wharf pumping station failed, forcing Tate Hill beach to be closed to the public – and the manhole has still not been repaired.

Whitby fishing boat owner Ken Graham said waste water was also leaking from the sewage pipes which run down the harbour where pleasure boats and fishing boats are moored and was also leaking from outflow pipes off Sandgate and near Kiddies’ Corner where children were fishing with lines.

But a spokesman for Yorkshire Water said in extreme weather conditions such as the heavy rain which hit Whitby at the weekend, it is normal for diluted sewage to run into the harbour as it works on a pressure system and if it wasn’t released it would find other ways of escaping.

He said the drainage system is acting ‘normally’ and said they sent out a team at the weekend to CCTV survey Church Street and jet the drains but they could not find a problem.

“We would like to assure customers the problem with the pumping station has been repaired,” he said.

He added Yorkshire Water will look at the broken manhole on the slipway.

But an angry Mr Graham, Whitby town councillor Ian Havelock and Flowergate business owner Tom Brodrick say they have been onto the problem since the pumps failed and spent the weekend ringing the authorities including Yorkshire Water and Scarborough Council.

Mr Graham said: “It’s a cess pit. The stench when you walk across Whitby Swing Bridge is unbelievable.

“No officials seem to be doing anything about it. They are blaming each other.

“They encourage people to come to the town and then they have a situation like this.

“There are signs up warning Yorkshire Water employees near the pumping station but there are no notices to warn the public about it. I’ve been onto it since the pumps failed.

“I have been telling people myself. It makes me angry. People should be made aware of it more.