Blue-green algae sightings prompt warning

Children and dog walkers have been warned to stay away from blue-green algae found in two bodies of water.

The toxic algae, which is actually cyanobacteria rather than a true algae, was seen on the shores of Crummock Water and Loweswater, in the Lake District, Cumbria over the weekend.

The Environment Agency (EA) said the algae was "likely linked to the calm weather following storms in October" and described it as a naturally occurring environmental phenomenon which can pose risks to both animals and humans.

The EA urged people to keep pets and children away from the water and avoid skin contact with the water or algae and asked people to report suspected algal blooms to its hotline.

Cyanobacteria is a collection of microscopic organisms that are naturally present in lakes and streams.

Under certain conditions, blue-green algae can become abundant in warm, shallow, undisturbed, nutrient-rich surface waters that receive a lot of sunlight.

When this occurs, blue-green algae can form blooms that discolour the water, or produce floating mats or scums on the water's surface.

"You can't tell if an algal bloom in the sea, a lake, or river is toxic just by looking at it, so it's safest to assume it is," the EA said.

It asked people to report sightings, so its team can collect and analyse a sample to confirm its presence.

The EA pointed people to use the UKCEH Bloomin Algae app for finding and reporting blooms.

Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram and listen to Radio Cumbria on BBC Sounds.