(Image: ANDY FUTERS)
Concerns have been raised after thick black sludge with "an awful stench" was left around the edge of a County Durham boating lake as part of the cleaning process.
Pictures taken by The Northern Echo show the sludge on the verge beside Newton Aycliffe boating lake in the town's West Park during the recent 30C heatwave - with one resident claiming it had a pungent smell.
The resident described the smell as “disgusting” and said they believed the sludge should have been cleared rather than left on the side of the lake in the heat.
Black sludge found around the outside of West Park boating lake, Newton Aycliffe
(Image: ANDY FUTERS)
He said: “It absolutely stank, especially with the weather being as hot as it was. I could smell this awful stench and walked over and saw all this black sludge on the side of the lake.
“I understand the lake has to be cleaned, but why don’t they have someone to clear it up? It’s just sat there, it stinks and it’s dangerous for children or animals.
“It could also attract vermin. The sludge has got onto the pavement as well and it’s disgusting.
“I don’t understand why they would just leave it like that.”
Black sludge found around the outside of West Park boating lake, Newton Aycliffe
(Image: ANDY FUTERS)
Aycliffe Town Councillor Arun Chandran said the sludge was part of the lake cleaning process but agreed there “has to be a better way” of doing the work.
He said: “After I raised this issue before, it was agreed some years ago that the lakes would be cleaned out four times a year, also working in partnership with Northumbrian Water assisting.
Black sludge found around the outside of West Park boating lake, Newton Aycliffe
(Image: ANDY FUTERS)
“I have never been happy with the method used, ie draining the sludge and detritus onto the sides, waiting for it to dry out and then removing some of it.
“The consequence was unsightly gaps created on the surrounding grass which took months to regrow.
“I much prefer to see us go back to what we used to do in the 1980s and 1990s, ie once a year partially drain the lakes, put in tractor machinery to collect most of the sludge and detritus in piles inside the lakes, let it drain before removing."
Black sludge found around the outside of West Park boating lake, Newton Aycliffe
(Image: ANDY FUTERS)
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Cllr Chandran said this cleaning process was stopped in the mid 1990s and added: “We need to reappraise this situation because it does not seem that what we are doing is the best option."
He said money had been set aside some years ago at his request to deal with the cleaning issue, but added: “There has to be a better way of cleaning the lakes than this and will raise this at the next recreation committee meeting.”
The council has confirmed that the practice is for the material to be left to sit for a few days to remove any excess water and it will be removed within the next few days.
West Park, Newton Aycliffe
(Image: ANDY FUTERS)
A spokesperson said: "The council periodically need to remove excess silt from the lakes at West Park as they are artificial shallow engineered lakes.
"The lakes are unusually low due to the drought conditions and so council operatives have taken the opportunity to remove the silt that has been exposed by the low water levels.
"The silt is left on the side of the lakes for a few days to allow any aquatic invertebrates and excess water to drain back into the lakes. This silt will be removed over the coming days."