Pavilion MP Caroline Lucas went underground for a guided tour of Brighton's Victorian sewer system yesterday.

The hour long Victorian Sewer Tour is visited by thousands of people every year and won the ‘Best place to visit in Brighton' Award in 2007.

Local historian Geoffrey Mead and representatives from Brighton Fringe also joined Caroline on the tour, which takes visitors through the drainage and disposal network that has served the Brighton area for 150 years.

Speaking after the visit, Caroline said: "I was really pleased to be invited by Southern Water to take a look at the world that lies underneath Brighton - and to learn more about the crucial role the sewer system plays in keeping our city clean.

"Being more aware of what happens to our waste and finding out how problematic it is, for example, when used fat and grease from cooking is washed down the sink, should really make us think again.

"It might seem an unlikely tourist attraction, but the Victorian Sewer Tour has succeeded in establishing itself as an important tribute to our underground heritage - and to the brilliant feats of civil engineering achieved by previous generations."

ENDS

Notes

For more information about the tour, please visit: http://www.southernwater.co.uk/homeAndLeisure/daysOut/brightonSewerTours/