[RichS]

Hi.. Does anyone remember the days when the Salters Burn, just north of Birling Carrs rocks, flowed yellow and there was a thick bright yellow sludge lining the banks ? We had a caravan on the site there and were always getting told off for playing in the stream as it left us with bright yellow feet and hands and it wouldn't wash off...

But what was the contamination ? I vaguely recall someone saying it was sludge and residue from the Shilbottle iron works. It got cleaned up during the 70s, I think they had diggers in to excavate and remove the sludge from the stream.

Fascinated to know more ..