"There is no blue green algae:" Doncaster Council allays fears after Lakeside changes colour

Photos began circulating on Facebook yesterday showing the lake at Lakeside with a blue tinge, prompting fears that the beauty spot had been hit by toxic blue green algae which can prove fatal to animals and dangerous for humans.

But Doncaster Council has reassured residents that the water is safe – and the colour change was actually down to a process to prevent the algae forming.

Dave Wilkinson, Assistant Director of Trading and Property Services, said; “There is no blue green algae.

“We have been regularly treating Lakeside with the blue dye to prevent the blue green algae forming.

“The latest application was Thursday morning.

“The lake is looking blue as it always does straight after an application.

This is what the blue dye does and then the colour fades over a couple of days.”

In recent months, Doncaster’s Cusworth Hall and Rotherham’s Rother Valley Country Park have both issued ‘stay away from the water’ warnings following the discovery of toxic algae.