Police in Buxton have dumped black dye into the bright blue water of a local beauty spot to deter people from going there.

Officers said the recent nice weather had prompted people to visit the disused quarry at Harpur Hill, despite the UK Government’s instructions to only leave the house for essential travel, such as buying groceries or picking up medication.

In a post on Facebook Buxton Police showed photos of two officers in full protective suits, complete with face masks, as well as images of the pool before and after the dye was added.

The caption read: “Yesterday we received reports that people were congregating at the ‘Blue Lagoon’ in Harpur Hill, Buxton.

“No doubt this is due to the picturesque location and the lovely weather (for once!) in Buxton.

“However, the location is dangerous and this type of gathering is in contravention of the current instruction of the UK Government.

“With this in mind, we have attended the location this morning and used water dye to make the water look less appealing.”

This is not the first time the force has used dye in an attempt to stop people visiting the water, which is toxic.

Although it looks lovely, the colour is actually caused by caustic chemicals coming from the stones in the quarry, which means the water has a high PH level and can be an irritant if it gets on to the skin.

Due to the toxicity, no animals can live in the water.

The decision to dye the water comes just days after Health Secretary Matt Hancock said police can hand out ‘unlimited fines’ to people who are not following social distancing rules.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Hancock said: “These measures are not advice, they are rules and will be enforced, including by the police with fines starting at £30 up to unlimited fines for non compliance.

“Home is now the front line, and in this national effort, working together, we can defeat this disease. Everyone has a part to play.”

A spokesperson for Boris Johnson confirmed that the fines would start at £30 but could be increased ‘significantly’ if necessary.

The spokesperson told the Evening Standard: “The Prime Minister issued a clear instruction on behalf of the government on the actions the public are required to take to help prevent the spread of the virus, protect the NHS and save lives.

“As with existing laws, the overwhelming majority of the public can be expected to follow the rules without any need for enforcement action. We would expect that compliance to begin immediately.”

“The punishment for non-compliance would be a fixed penalty notice initially set at £30 but we will keep this under review and can increase it significantly if it is necessary to ensure public compliance.”