'White rain' mystery baffles Flintshire town

EveningLeader.co.uk
Apr. 20, 2009

A MYSTERY white substance that fell on parts of a town in Flintshire has left residents baffled.

People in Connah's Quay are at a loss to explain the so-called "white rain", which has been likened to talcum powder.

Residents in the Golftyn area of the town contacted the Leader on Friday after waking up to find the strange residue on their cars and washing.

One York Road resident said: "I was really concerned at first because I thought it could be corrosive or dangerous.

"The only way I can describe it is white rain. It looked like someone had thrown a flour bomb but on closer inspection it was definitely a strange kind of residue.

"You can see it everywhere – it's all over the cars in the street and it has covered our clothes washing.

"I've lived here for most of my life and I've never seen anything like it before. I think it might be some kind of pollution from local industry."

Cllr Macfarlane, who represents the Golftyn ward, said: "I honestly can't explain it. We have had some localised examples of this kind of thing in the past, but I wouldn't like to say what caused this.

"If people are concerned then it's something that needs to be looked into."

It is not the first time people living in Connah's Quay have raised concerns over mysterious substances falling on their town.

Last year, residents in Garthorpe Avenue noticed strange yellow spots appearing all over their cars, windows and washing.

Resident Dave Webster was so concerned at the effect that the strange spots could be having on his and his neighbours' health, he posted questionnaires through all the doors in his street, asking people to confirm whether they had experienced problems.

He received responses from almost all of the recipients confirming they had, and he contacted both the Environment Agency and Flintshire Council to see if some tests could be carried out.

Speaking when the problem was at its worst, Mr Webster said: "It started in early August. We found yellow spots all over our washing that had been drying on the line and they would not come off.

"There were also yellow spots all over our window sill, which are still there as they have burnt into the PVC, and yellow spots all over a lot of the cars in the street."

But despite months of meeting and inquiries, the source of the spots remains a mystery.