Swimmers and divers warned to stay away from drained quarry31st Mar 2015

Swimmers and divers are being warned to stay away from a flooded North Wales quarry known as the Blue Lagoon in the run-up to Easter as a major restoration project gets underway.

The Moel y Faen quarry, owned and run by civil engineering company Jones Bros, has become a popular spot for swimmers and divers, who are ignoring clear warnings about the dangers of the site.

Located within the Horseshoe Pass, the quarry is currently being filled in as part of an ongoing project to restore it to heath and heather moorland.

“We have become increasingly concerned by people trespassing, who swim and jump into the formerly flooded quarry, particularly as the Easter holidays approach,” said Graham Gibson, senior materials manager at Jones Bros Civil Engineering UK. “

“Last year there was a serious injury, and people are using and promoting the site for sub-aqua and other activities, without permission.

“The site is even promoted on Sub Aqua club web sites and I am sure they would not wish to do this if they appreciated the risks and hazards posed by this site”

“The water is currently being pumped out in order to fill the quarry as part of the restoration project and we are keen to spread the word there is no longer an attraction for trespassers. It is also dangerous as there is lots of construction work going on using earthmoving machinery.”

The quarry, which lies adjacent to the Berwyn and South Clwyd Mountains, provides a wide range of aggregates for the civil engineering and construction market.

Founded in the 1950s and employing approximately 300 people, Jones Bros has grown rapidly in the last decade. It is currently working on contracts in various sectors including the construction of waste management facilities, highways, flood and marine defence and renewable energy projects around the UK.