Letter: After being on the verge of the water at Magilligan with my grandchildren, I was horrified to learn of algae warning

Having just returned from Magilligan Point on Thursday with my grandchildren, I decided to look on the News Letter website. It was with horror that I read about the blue-green algae that was found in the water (‘Causeway Coast and Glens Council advises public not to enter water at Magilligan Point due to blue-green algae,’ see link below).

We had been there on Monday when the kids squirted water at each other and played at the edge of the water. On Thursday their mother when she saw the scum on the shore decided against them going into the water. There was another father and his thee children who were swimming a bit up from us. We have since read that the Environment Agency was informed on Monday but there was no sign of any warning signs on or near the beach.

On Tuesday evening my wife and I walked on Portstewart beach and again there was a scum on the beach. I wonder if all the beaches around that area have been checked and the results published? There should be signs advising bathers as to the safety of the water. We were already left before it was put on social media apparently at 10.30 am. Even to put it on the social media at some stage on Thursday is not good enough as everyone is not on social media and why would you be looking on it anyway? This can make humans very sick! I also saw people with dogs on the beach of which the algae can be fatal. The Causeway Council needs to come clean as to when they were made aware of the algae.

John Mulholland, Doagh.

Causeway Coast and Glens Council advises public not to enter water at Magilligan Point due to blue-green algae