Experts blame old mine workings

EXPERTS have found out why a Huddersfield river turned orange.

Environmental experts were alerted after several people reported the unusual discolouring in the River Colne at King's Mill, Aspley, on Saturday morning.

Environment Agency investigators immediately identified the cause as being a freak `blowout' of iron oxide deposits from disused mine workings in the Jackson Bridge area.

Mr David Preston, of the Environment Agency in Leeds, said: "The recent heavy rain and background pollution at Jackson Bridge is leading to mine rock - which contains fragments of metals, such as iron - travelling down into the water and causing the staining.

"Although it is classed as pollution, there is no immediate danger to life in the river"

Mr Preston said sorting out the long-running problem at Jackson Bridge was a "high-ranking scheme."

He added: "We are doing preliminary tests and monitoring the situation, but a permanent solution is needed.

"One idea is to passively treat affected areas of the river by planting large reedbeds, which work to filter any chemicals out of the system.

"However, this is dependent on planning permission and could take anything up to between three and five years."

In 2001, environmentalists tested the river between Marsden and Huddersfield and found that the water got much worse as it came closer to Huddersfield.