The weather is warming up and everyone is eager for a taste of thesun and sand, but, would you jump into a pool of ammonia? For some, this is apparently not an issue as families have been driving for up to 40 miles to take a dip in thetoxic poolat Chinnor, Oxfordshire.
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There are many signs around the site pleading people not to participate in any cliff jumping as the water has an extremely high pH level, just as high as bleach and ammonia. The signs also warn of some of the side effects of swimming in the dangerous lagoon.
This can cause skin and eye irritations, stomach problems, fungal infections such as thrush, other infections such as rashes. Think! Would you swim in ammonia (pH 11.5) or bleach pH (12.6)? Well these are similar to the Blue Lagoon – pH 11.3)
MP for Howell, John Hurley was appalled to see people disobey thesignsas it could seriously affect their health, especially during the lockdown as so many of these people are disrespecting social distancing rules. One resident shared the MP's opinion:
They were treating the quarries like a beach. Jumping in from cliff edges into very dangerous water. It’s very cold, very deep and it’s stagnant water with all sorts of diseases and a pH level almost as high as bleach. Yet people were letting their kids swim in it.
Locals have been going quite the distance to deter day-trippers who block driveways and leave trash everywhere after getting drunk by the lagoon. They even went as far to set up a roadblock to prevent a rave. The sites owner Taylor Wimpey even hired security guards to prevent the illegal party. He posted on Facebook:
You won’t be going to any rave today unless you want to break down a barbed wire fence, get past 20-plus security guards, dogs and half of Chinnor – none of whom want you here.
The police have been trying to evacuate visitors from the private property but as the lockdown measures ease and weather continues to get better there is no doubt every spot of water will be crowded with stir-crazy people.
