A lake in Chinnor, Oxfordshire is attracting people from all around due to its luminous blue glow.
And… as people do in lakes, they’re jumping in it.
The water, pictured above.
But as you can probably tell from the title of this article, and the colour of the water, this is no ordinary lake! Despite all the warning signs erected at the lake, people still decide to jump into the water, that has a PH similar to ammonia and BLEACH!
The signposts at the site read: “Do not enter the water due to PH levels. This can cause skin and eye irritations, stomach problems, fungal infections such as thrush, other infections such as rashes. Think! Would you swim in ammonia (pH 11.5) or bleach pH (12.6)? Well these are similar to the Blue Lagoon – pH (11.3)!”
MP for Henley John Howell described it as “dangerous”, and said: “It’s very cold, very deep and it’s stagnant water with all sorts of diseases and a pH level almost as high as bleach. Yet people were letting their kids swim in it.“
People continue to ignore the signs.
On top of all of this, people who live close to the lake say tourists and visitors not only defy the rules, but also drink and leave rubbish all around the area, causing real problems.
This comes as lockdown measures are lifted, and people rush to scenic spots like this for a day out. Police have had to attend the lake multiple times, one time to stop an illegal rave from happening, after locals themselves set up road blocks trying to stop them.
Thames Valley Police have issued a Section 34 dispersal order in an attempt to keep people away from the area, to stop people littering, violating social distancing rules and jumping in the lake itself.
A spokesman for the force said: “We would like to inform the public that Chinnor Quarry is private property and should not be visited under any circumstances.
“The water in the quarry is highly toxic and can cause serious health issues. It is also extremely dangerous as it is surrounded by cliff faces and the ground can be unstable in areas.
“We are working with local partners and the landowner to increase security measures and disperse those who have accessed the site.“
