PARKGOERS and their dogs have been warned to keep out of a park’s lake after fears the water will cause “severe illness” if it’s drunk.

Bright yellow signs have been erected around Southchurch Park lake.

Walkers have spoken of a “horrific stench” around the site, and say it needs to be sorted.

This comes just days after Southend’s beaches re-opened after a major seafront sewage spill, now temporarily fixed by Anglian Water.

Julie Emerick-Callow, 55, who lives nearby, said: “It’s disgusting, it really is. We’ve only just had the issue with the beaches.”

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In May, a sluice at the park was deemed dangerous for baby birds, with the wildlife being sucked down the drain.

Volunteers had to rescue the baby birds from being killed inside the sluice.

However there are now fears the birds will die because of the dirty water.

Another walker, 55, added: “You can tell people to keep dogs away, but what about the animals who are there now?

“There’s something weird going on, but it needs to be sorted. It’s been stinking for a while now.

Carole Mulroney, councillor in charge of the environment, culture, tourism and planning, said: “The recent storm and associated flooding caused an infiltration into the lake at Southchurch Park.

“Anglian Water deployed an aeration pump yesterday which circulates and oxygenates the water helping break down any contamination and clearing the water.

“Current levels of ammonia give us no cause for concern, and we have not been advised of any issues the current levels of ammonia will have relating to swans and other wildfowl that use the lake.

“Precautionary signage has been positioned around the lake advising against ingesting debris from the water and not to enter the water – people or pets. Anglian Water have advised us that a person or pet would need to ingest a large quantity of water to suffer ill effects, but nonetheless we are acting on the side of caution with the signs.”

“Again, as a precautionary measure Anglian Water have advised that if a pet does enter the water, rinsing them off when returning home is advised.”