People Were Still Visiting 'Blue Lagoon,' So Cops Dyed It Black

UK needed to deter visitors to tourist hot spot amid coronavirus pandemic
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Mar 31, 2020 9:30 AM CDT
People Were Still Visiting the 'Blue Lagoon.' Cops Dyed It Black
Stock image.   (Getty Images/Nastco)

The "Blue Lagoon," a former limestone quarry in Buxton, England, has become a tourist hot spot thanks to its bright blue waters—and visitors were still flocking to it, despite the prime minister ordering UK residents to stay home amid the coronavirus pandemic. So local police took a drastic step: They dyed the water black, CNN reports. "Yesterday we received reports that people were congregating at the 'Blue Lagoon' in Harpur Hill," police wrote last week in a Facebook post. "No doubt this is due to the picturesque location and the lovely weather (for once!) in Buxton. However, 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 this morning and used water dye to make the water look less appealing," continues the post, which includes pictures. "Please stay at home." As Sky News reports, the water's distinctive color actually comes from caustic chemicals in the quarry stone, and its pH levels can cause skin irritation. There are also old cars, dead animals, and garbage floating around in it. Police have used dye in the past to discourage visitors from swimming in the water, but it remains a popular spot for "Instagrammers." (More coronavirus stories.)

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