Toxic algae leads to warning to stay out of canal

The Canal & River Trust has warned people and pets to take care around a stretch of canal near Droitwich

A bloom of blue-green algae on a stretch of canal has led to a warning people and pets should take precautions around the water.

The Canal & River Trust said it had received a report of the bacteria on the Droitwich canal near Egg Lane, Mildenham.

Spells of warm weather can lead to it thriving on canals, rivers and reservoirs, forming distinctive blue-green clumps.

The charity advised people to wash their hands if they came into contact with the water, and keep pets out of the canal.

Blue-green algae is most likely to appear on bodies of still water during warmer weather

Blue-green algae is not actually algae, but tiny bacteria particles that become visible when they group together.

It can appear as scum, or as a blue-green streak or layer on the surface of water, the Canal & River Trust said, and is most likely to occur in still waters.

Some types of blue-green algae contain toxins poisonous to pets and can cause illness in people if ingested.

The charity urged report any blooms they spot and to take warnings seriously.