Visitors have been strongly urged to stay away from the water in Caerphilly Castle’s moat as toxins in the algae can cause severe illness.
The moat contains blue-green algae that could be toxic to humans and animals, Cadw has warned.
Fishing and other activities involving the moat have been suspended until further notice.
Although contact with the algae can be dangerous it is a vital contributor to human life through photosynthesis and producing food chain supporting substances.
People are already ` staying away`, but, from the park itself not just
the water, older people and families are avoiding the park like the
`plague` already due to the contamination caused by unlawful and
unacceptable activity by a few individuals who set out to dominate the
activity there by turning it into an extended pub beer garden, the music
being provided by local pubs echoing around the town. The costs to clean up, daily, after this open air garden party, fueled by strong cheap alcohol, odd smelling tobacco, and competitions into who can be heard best and use the foulest of language.
The Gwent Police and the Caerphilly County borough Council are powerless to prevent this miscreant activity, why?????
I suppose CADW feel they have to warn people but Cyanobacteria really do only represent a very small health risk. As pointed out in the article this lifeform does a lot of good and is thought to be the trigger for life on Earth as we know it.
You are indeed more likely to suffer injury from the human pond life that congregates around the castle, particularly in warm, dry weather. Only a few years ago a local Justice of the Peace was badly beaten in this park and spent some time in hospital with various broken bones.