Contaminated nature reserve warning

The public are being warned to avoid parts of a nature reserve after potential industrial contaminants were found in soil and water at the site.

Volunteers and workers from a number of partner organisations have been hard at work for months, improving and enhancing the quality of Brookside Nature Reserve’s environment – after its role in the Industrial Revolution left it ecologically damaged and degraded.

The 87-acre site in Stanhill Village, Oswaldtwistle, was purchased by Hyndburn Borough Council in 2022 for £245,000 as part of its nature recovery plan, with funding from the National Lottery and other organisations to restore the dilapidated green space.

However recent testing, in part carried out by the teams of volunteers working to improve Brookside, found pollutants petroleum-based oils, solvents, phenols and pesticides in some sections of the site, leading to a warning for dog walkers and other recreational users of the green space.

While the reserve remains open, authorities have erected signs around some sections of the site, towards its centre, warning walkers to stay away and take another route through the verdant green space.

Of particular note, dog owners are being urged to keep their four-legged friends out of the water and on a lead, with advice to prevent them from lapping at puddles or bodies of water at the site.

Which, amid the current record-breaking June heatwave, may be easier said than done.

Dog owners are also being advised to give their dogs a wash once they have returned from their walk. Similarly, people should wash their hands before eating, drinking or smoking after a visit to Brookside.

While visitors are also being told to stick to paths, the council and the environmental groups working to improve the condition of the reserve are stressing that this advice is mainly a precautionary measure, while further and more extensive testing is carried out at the site.

Councillor Munsif Dad, Leader of the Council said: “We understand that news of potential contamination may cause concern, but I want to reassure residents that the Council is already taking proactive steps to investigate and manage the situation.

“These checks are part of our wider commitment to improving Brookside and ensuring it remains a valued green space for the community.”

It is expected that the results of this intensive testing will be published in Autumn after Environmental Health officers, working alongside consultants RSK Geosciences, have completed their investigation into the currently unidentified contaminants at the reserve.

Meanwhile, work to remove invasive species, enhance habitats, and improve the footpaths around the site will continue by Brookside Restoration Initiative and charity The PROSPECTS Foundation.

Council leader Dad added: “We will continue to provide clear, factual updates so residents understand what is happening and why. Public safety remains our top priority.”

In the meantime, Brookside Nature Reserve remains open to the public, with visitors being asked to follow the on-site signage pointing them away from the affected central area of the site.