Water firm to pay shareholders £300m despite anger over leaks and pollution

United Utilities accused of making mockery' by raising dividend in face of sewage spills and continuing leakages

The decision by United Utilities to hand more than 300m to shareholders has prompted fresh anger over water companies' multimillion-pound payouts, at a time when the industry is under pressure to spend more on tackling leaks and stopping sewage pollution.

The company, which supplies more than 3m homes and 200,000 businesses across the north-west of England, from Carlisle to Crewe, had the unenviable title of England's most polluting water company last year, according to Environment Agency data.