Residents in Shaw have reported a river is looking neon green and feared the solution could be toxic.

The waterway, which is a tributary off the River Beal, comes from the Beal Valley between Sholver and Royton.

However, on Tuesday (January 16), residents said they were alarmed at the sight of the small waterway which had turned "bright green".

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Photographs of the river show the water appeared polluted with a neon green substance. 

The Oldham Times: Some feared the water was toxic to wildlife and dogsSome feared the water was toxic to wildlife and dogs (Image: I Love Shaw)

A post on the I Love Shaw Facebook page read: "This is the river that runs down the side of JD Williams.

"No idea what has turned this bright green.

"It has been reported, but please be careful if you have dogs that usually take a dip in the river."

While others said they had also reported the incident to the environment agency and Canal and River Trust, and expressed concern for the "poor fish" in the canal, some residents said they believed the colouring is a dye used by United Utilities to locate leaks.

A man said: "It's a dye they have put in the water to find a leak - it's not harmful to fish or pets, so don't worry yourselves."

Another added: "It will be leak tracing dye - it's non-toxic so it looks worse than it actually is."

The Oldham Times: Residents joked that the river could spawn mutant fishResidents joked that the river could spawn mutant fish (Image: I Love Shaw)

A woman also said she spotted United Utilities workers by Grains Bar the night before and that the team "could be tracing a leak as there was frozen water all down the road".

But many were quick to find the funny side in the grim appearance of the stream, writing it looks "weird".

A woman joked: "It's from the mushy pea mine under Crompton Moor".

Meanwhile, another man joked that the river could spawn mutant fish.

He said: "There will soon be three-eyed Simpson fish knocking about to match the six-fingered gawbies", referring to the fish that swim in the polluted waters near The Springfield Nuclear Power Plant in the American animated sitcom, The Simpsons.

United Utilities said it appears "green drain tracing dye" had been used in the watercourse though it wasn't there when the team investigated.

The spokesperson said while the company wasn't involved in using the dye, it is often used by other private companies and the council when investigating drainage problems.

The spokesperson added: "This type of dye is vegetable-based and is non-toxic to wildlife."

The Canal and River Trust and the Environment Agency have also been contacted for comment.

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