MPS have voted against amending a bill that currently allows raw sewage to be discharged into rivers and seas.

Several Hampshire MPs have voted against a motion in parliament to amend the Environment Bill.

The bill currently allows raw sewage to be discharged into the countries waterways and this comes as, in the last 24 hours, sewage has been discharged from two swimming spots near Southampton.

According to Southern Water, in the last 24 hours there has been two releases from combined sewer overflows (CSOs) in the area with one taking place at Lee-on-Solent and the other at Stokes Bay.

Some have come under fire for the way they voted on the bill with Conservative Isle of Wight MP, Bob Seely being criticised for voting not to make amendments.

But now, Southampton Itchen MP, Royston Smith, who was one of those who voted against the amendment has said: "The thing about these opposition amendments is they are generally designed to embarrass or put government supporting members on the spot.

"No one wants sewage into our rivers but you can't change a system where most of it is still Victorian overnight. You only have to look at what Southern Water has done in Woolston to see how things are moving.

"Things like illegal sewage dumping, that's a completely different thing but there does come a time when you have significant rain or flooding that the system won't cope and it will overflow and outflow into the rivers sadly.

"We don't want anything dumped into our rivers and the sea but we do acknowledge that Rome wasn't build in a day and it takes some time to achieve the outcome we all want and that is that there is nothing dumped into our waterways."

Labour MP for Southampton Test, Alan Whitehead also voted on the bill, but instead voted in favour of the amendment.