Natural Resources Wales [NRW] has responded to concerns about the sea turning brown at a famous North Wales beach. The murky water at Porthdinllaen in Gwynedd sparked fears over the weekend that a sewage leak had taken place.
However NRW has now confirmed this was not the case, and the discolouration was actually caused by algae.
Arfon Hughes, environment team leader for NRW, said: “Our officers received reports of potential pollution at Porthdinllaen beach over the bank holiday weekend.
“Upon inspection, this was found to be a type of non-toxic algae called Phaeocystis – one of the most common bloom-forming algae in our coastal waters.
“The blooms can form a brown, frothy scum that is harmless and may be influenced by recent sunlight and warmer temperatures.
“Anyone with concerns about potential pollution can report them to us by calling our 24/7 incident communication line on 0300 065 3000 or by using our online incident form.”
Porthdinllaen has a sweeping sandy bay sheltered by the Carreg Ddu headland. It is famed for its beach pub, Ty Coch, which has been named among the best beach bars in the world. Get all the latest Gwynedd news by signing up to our newsletter – sent every Tuesday