River Sence was turned blue by dye, says Environment Agency

The river was described as a "thick cloudy blue" by one resident

A harmless dye was the reason behind a stretch of river turning a vivid shade of blue, residents have been told.

The River Sence, near Coalville in Leicestershire, became unnaturally discoloured on Monday.

The Environment Agency said it had investigated fears the watercourse had become polluted and found the cause was a dye commonly used to test waterflows in drains.

It said the river had since returned to its normal colour.

The Environment Agency said the dye did not pollute the river

Steph Bickerton, from Coalville, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the water had turned a "thick cloudy blue" after sharing images of the river on social media.

A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said: "We were made aware of the blue water at Coalville in Leicestershire, which has now cleared.

"The cause of the colour is drain dye, which is harmless to the environment and is regularly used by water companies, drainage contractors and the local authority to detect the flow of water in drains or pipes and to trace leaks.

"No further investigation was required as there was no pollution."