No, it’s not a scene from a horror film.
The River Holme has turned orange – again.
But the bizarre coloration has been caused by nothing more sinister than deposits of ochre from a disused mine at Jackson Bridge.
And the naturally occurring minerals will have little environmental impact, the Environment Agency has said.
A spokesperson for the agency tweeted: “Orange mine water is flowing into the river from an old mine, near Holmfirth. It’s a natural mineral and will disperse...
“Looks dramatic but little environmental impact. Could spread as far as the River Calder.”
It’s not the first time the river has attracted attention.
In 2006, the Environment Agency rushed to the water after reports of its unusual hue.
And in October, walkers at Armitage Bridge noticed the Holme had turned an ‘unsightly’ brown colour. See the video below
The reddish tinge is believed to originate from mine water in the Jackson Bridge area and is a natural occurrence caused by iron oxide mixing with the stream.
Ochre, a natural earth pigment gives the water its rusty-red colour.
Heavy rain on the hills above the valley seeps through the old mine workings which cross the area.
And dirty orange water often pours from the hillside entrances to the old mine shafts causing flooding problems in the middle of the village.
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