Urgent ‘do not swim’ warning issued at UK beauty spot after mystery substance turns water bright blue

NewsUK News AN urgent “do not swim” warning has been issued at a UK beauty spot after a mystery substance turned the water bright blue. People have been encouraged to stay out of the water at Exmouth Beach due to pollution in the nearby Littleham Brook in Devon. The water in Littleham Brook in Exmouth has turned a bright blue Credit: Environment Agency The brook feeds into Exmouth beach, leading to the warning to bathers at the popular spot. The Environment Agency (EA) has advised against bathing but added there was no “visible environmental impacts”. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! On Saturday night, the source of the blue pollution was traced to an “industrial source”. It has since stopped leaking into the river. There was an earlier sewage spill this week near Exmouth’s bathing waters but the EA said the two incidents are not linked. It’s thought the latest pollution started at just after 8.30pm on September 111. The EA said it was waiting on a toxicity report on the substance and will lift the warning when it is safe to do so. A spokesperson for the EA said on X: “A bright blue substance was reported in Littleham Brook, Exmouth. Most read in The Sun “We attended and found no visible environmental impacts, but issued an advice against bathing as a precaution. “Overnight it was traced to an industrial source, but it has stopped. “It is not linked to the sewage network. “The pollutant is still moving downstream and is likely to reach the bathing water this afternoon. “We’re awaiting toxicity information, so the advice against bathing on Swimfo remains. We’ll review again later and lift it when safe.” The EA explained the necessity to have the swim warning on its bathing quality map, saying: “Exmouth bathing water is affected by the catchment surrounding the Littleham Brook, which is approximately 600 hectares, and also by the enormous Exe Estuary catchment which is approximately 150,000 hectares. “The Littleham Brook is four and a half kilometres long and flows southwest from Littleham Village through Green Farm and Maer Farm to Maer Bridge where it is piped under the beach to the sea at Maer Rocks.” Comment now