Confusion after canal turns green to find leaks

Arun Kumar snapped a photograph of the green canal by Spouthouse Lane bridge on Wednesday

Members of the public have been warned not to be alarmed after a canal turned green.

Canal & River Trust West Midlands said it was dye-testing the Tame Valley Canal north of Birmingham in order to track down any leaks.

It stressed that the dye was harmless to wildlife and would naturally disperse over the course of several days.

"If the canal is leaking at any spot, we will notice green dye not in the canal," a spokesperson said.

Social media users were left wondering why the water might have turned green

"If we have a leak on the towpath for example the dye will make it easier to see," they added.

The stretch of canal runs for 8.5 miles (13.7km) from the Walsall Canal to Salford Junction and provides access to Alexander Stadium.

The unusual hue prompted musings on social media the canal had been dyed green to mark St Patrick's Day, or large amounts of mushy peas had been dumped.

However, a notice on the Canal & River Trust website stated it was investigating the source of water in gardens near to Gorse Farm safety gate in Hamstead.

"There has been no obvious source of a leak discovered and monitoring has not determined conclusively the source of the water," the update read.

It explained that navigation along the route had been stopped and repairs had been carried out in one area, which was in the process of being tested.

"Stop planks will remain in place to contain the dye and prevent dispersal over a number of days," the update added.