VISITORS to a lake are being warned that poisonous algae has returned to its waters.
The Environment Agency says the potentially harmful blue-green variety has been detected on Windermere.
The algae, which can produce toxins that can be fatal in animals, has been discovered by Windermere Lake Wardens around the YMCA Lakeside area.
In humans, the algae can cause skin rashes, diarrhoea and vomiting.
The discovery of the algae comes after last weekend's Great North Swim.
The 2010 event was cancelled when the algae was found in the lake a few days earlier.
The algae can usually be seen when it's concentrated in clumps which look like green flakes, greenish bundles or brownish dots.
Environment Agency advice is to always keep children and pets away from the algae.
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