A water company is being prosecuted after it unlawfully discharged sewage on to Margate Beach in 2012.

Southern Water Service Limited's Margate Wastewater Pumping Station suffered a series of failures which resulted in a number of prolonged discharges of untreated and partially-screened sewage to nearby beaches and sea between May 29 and June 1.

Thanet District Council had to close affected beaches for nine days.

The utility provider will appear at Maidstone Crown Court on Friday.

In 2013 Southern Water issued an unreserved apology after being fined £200,000 for releasing wastewater into the sea from Margate Pumping Station between January and July 2011.

At that point the company had spent £1.7 million addressing issues at the station, had another £400,000 of work lined up and were drawing up plans for a new pumping station.

After apologising for the 2011 incidents the provider said that in 2012, every beach in Southern Water`s region met European standards for bathing water quality, despite the wettest summer on record.

Southern Water has been approached for comment.