Fact check amid the coronavirus crisis - Buxton's Blue Lagoon is most definitely not a 'beauty spot'

Over the last few days, a number of national newspapers and news programmes have described Buxton’s so-called Blue Lagoon as a ‘beauty spot’.
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It is not a ‘beauty spot’.

It is a pool at a disused quarry – and tests reveal the water there has a pH level of 11.3.

Police have dyed the water of the so-called Blue Lagoon in Buxton.Police have dyed the water of the so-called Blue Lagoon in Buxton.
Police have dyed the water of the so-called Blue Lagoon in Buxton.

Bleach has a pH level of around 12.

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Amid the coronavirus lockdown, Derbyshire police have dyed the Blue Lagoon – which gets its colour from the caustic chemicals in the quarry stone – after receiving reports of groups of people meeting there to swim.

A spokesperson for the force said: “The location is dangerous and this type of gathering is in contravention of the current instruction of the UK Government.

“With this in mind, we have attended the location and used water dye to make the water look less appealing.

Rubbish at the disused quarry pool. Picture taken by Jason Chadwick in 2012.Rubbish at the disused quarry pool. Picture taken by Jason Chadwick in 2012.
Rubbish at the disused quarry pool. Picture taken by Jason Chadwick in 2012.

“This is a regular tactic that we use to reduce anti-social behaviour and we work in partnership with High Peak Borough Council and Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service.”

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Derbyshire police have not dyed a ‘beauty spot’, as some national journalists claim.

They have dyed a potential death trap – and rightly so.

The last thing anyone wants right now is people congregating at the site and individuals ending up in hospital and stretching the NHS because they’ve swam in the dangerous water and ended up ill.

A sign leading up to the site in the Harpur Hill area of the town reads: “Warning! Polluted water. Lagoon known to contain: car wrecks, dead animals, excrement and rubbish.”

Another states: “Warning! Do not enter water due to high pH levels. This can cause: skin and eye irritations, stomach problems and fungal infections such as thrush.”

And another sign says: “Think! Would you swim in ammonia or bleach?”