The river’s water quality and wildlife has drastically declined after years of pollution from sewage discharges and industrial chicken farming.

The UK and Welsh governments have announced a joint £1 million research initiative for the heavily polluted River Wye.

The river, which runs for 130 miles from central Wales to the Severn Estuary in south-west England, has seen its water quality and wildlife drastically decline after years of exposure to agricultural pollution, sewage discharges and phosphates.

Water minister Emma Hardy and Welsh deputy first minister Huw Irranca-Davies announced the funding during a roundtable meeting in Monmouth on Monday.

The cross-border research programme will investigate the sources of pollution and pressures facing the river, as well as study the impacts of changing farming practices and land management, the Government said.