A popular Teddington swimming group has targeted Thames Water over the weekend through a series of protests as the privatised water company carried out filming for a new advert.

The Teddington Bluetits is a firm favourite within the community which currently boasts over 950 members and celebrated its two-year anniversary on Saturday.

In addition to the group's routine weekly swims, the Teddington Bluetits have been particularly busy over the past week staging three protests in response to Thames Water's controversial scheme that would see up to 75 million litres of water drained a day from the Thames some 350 metres upstream of Teddington Weir, directly where the swimming group is based.

The extracted water would then be replaced with treated effluent from the nearby Mogden Sewage Treatment Works.

The Teddington Bluetits out in force over the weekend during Thames Water filming.

As well as the Teddington Bluetits, the stretch of the Thames targeted by Thames Water is home to a large sailing community, rowers, paddle boarders and families during the summer months.

A prime concern of the proposed scheme is the cost it will have on environmental and river life with its implementation resulting in a change in the water temperature and its chemical make-up.

Starting on January 24, the film company Outsider began filming an advert for Thames Water where their puppet otter, who lives in a riverside house, notices from his window that the organisation is digging up the road. In the advert, the workmen explain why their work is essential.

For Marlene Lawrence and her group of swimmers/activists, targeting Thames Water during their filming was too good of an opportunity to turn down.

Speaking to Nub News, the Teddington Bluetits founder said: "630 million litres are lost per day by Thames Water which amounts to 20% of water usage, it couldn't be more vital for us as a community directly affected by this scheme to hold the company to a standard where they aren't looking at every opportunity to pump effluent into our rivers.

"Perhaps, instead of focusing on further advertising, Thames Water should be putting more effort into making the public aware of how to use their water more sensibly during the hotter times of the year, and not proposing such terrible schemes which pose direct dangers to river life and community orientated river groups who rely on clean waters."

Teddington Bluetits targeted the riverside house belonging to the otter in the advert.

As well as the group's efforts to carry out protests from last Thursday through to Saturday, a petition has been set up which has already gained over 3,350 signatures of support against the Thames Water's drought scheme.

The Bluetits plan to continue their campaigning in a bid to gain attention from councillors and MP's and force a debate on the issue within parliament.

Community groups such as the Teddington Bluetits, who celebrated their two-year anniversary over the weekend, could be directly threatened by the Thames Water drought scheme.

A Nub News exclusive last Friday revealed Thames Water's plans would also involve two concrete and metal structures being built on the banks of the Thames.

Speaking to Nub News, a spokesman for the organisation said: "The proposed new abstraction intake would be sited on the north bank of River Thames, around 350m upstream of Teddington Wier.

"The intake would have screens to remove sand or silts and an eel screen, there will also be a cabinet for pumping equipment. There would be further work on the aesthetics of the design in consultation with stakeholders and local community."

It said: "The outfall would also be on the river bank upstream of Teddington Weir, but around 140m downstream of the intake.

"The outfall structure would be designed to reduce the discharge velocity into the river to minimise disturbance to the aquatic life in the river.

"It would be a buried structure, with access covers for maintenance and a small wharf which would extend over the river edge to prevent access and accumulation of debris.

"Again the design will be further developed through feedback from modelling results and conversations with regulatory authorities and local communities."

The firm added: "We are at an early stage of design of the scheme, if the scheme is taken forward to planning consent we would undertake more detailed assessments including an Environmental Impact Assessment and would undertake engagement and consultation with stakeholders and local communities as part of the consenting process."