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Water firm bosses have trousered a bumper 52% pay rise since 2010, Labour claims.

Nine firms’ highest-paid directors saw their combined packages balloon from around £8.2million to £12.5million between 2010 and 2017, the party said.

Meanwhile hard-pressed customers’ water bills have gone up by almost 8%.

Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell highlighted the hike as he vowed to bring firms back into public ownership.

He said: “This is a national scandal. Customers are carrying the burden of rising water bills, while seeing their pay during this period failing to keep up with prices.

“This is further proof for why we need to take these companies back into public hands.

(Image: Getty Images)

“The days of fat cat pay in the water industry must come to an end.”

The party compiled its figures from the FAME financial database and the House of Commons Library.

At one firm, Northumbrian Water, Managing Director John Cuthbert took home £429,000 in fees, salary, benefits and bonus in 2009/10.

He retired and by 2016/17 the unnamed “highest-paid director” was taking home £1,049,000.

At South West Water the highest-paid director’s package has soared from £466,000 in 2009/10 to £660,000 in 2016/17, Labour said.

Meanwhile since 2010 privatised water firms have paid out £13.8billion in shareholder dividends, Labour added.

Between 2009/10 and 2018/19, the average water bill has risen from £367 to £405, figures compiled for Labour by the House of Commons Library said.

But bill-payers were not so lucky - as weekly wages fell in real terms between 2010 and 2017.