Quarry guard suffers heart attack after row with teen mob in search of ‘Blue Lagoon’
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The guard, whose age is not known, was attempting to stop the youths - attracted by turquoise water at the quarry - gaining access to the site.
It is understood the teens - travelling from as far afield as Liverpool - had been trying to find the now infamous ‘Blue Lagoon’ at Harpur Hill.
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Hide AdA Google Maps location pin had mistakenly marked Dove Holes Quarry as the location of the lake which attracted over 2,000 people to Harpur Hill during the late May bank holiday.
Peter Roberts, High Peak councillor for Limestone Peak, told how on the night of Saturday May 23 the site manager for the Cemex working quarry reported ‘30 youths’ confronted the security guard and ‘got quite aggressive’.
Coun Roberts said: “The security guard was trying to stop them getting in and they got quite aggressive but he managed to calm them down but a short time later he had a heart attack.”
Luckily colleagues were able to keep the guard alive with a defibrillator before he was taken to Manchester’s Wythenshawe Hospital.
He received two heart stents and is now recovering.
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Hide AdThe incorrect Google Maps pin listing Dove Holes as the location of Harpur Hill’s ‘Blue Lagoon’ has now been removed.
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Hide AdLimestone Peak councillor Peter told how on Monday after the incident - as thousands gathered at the highly toxic Hoffman Quarry in Harpur Hill - ‘hundreds’ of youngsters arrived at Peak Dale in search of a swimming spot.
He described seeing cars double-parked all the way along Batham Gate Road - the main route through the village.
Coun Roberts said: “On Monday we were mobbed by teens looking for the Blue Lagoon - they cut through wire at the old Wainwrights quarry and spent time there.
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Hide Ad“These were not the nicest of people - we had hundreds of them turning up with deck chairs and beach stuff.
“These were obviously not village people - people in the village know not to go there - and they were openly taking drugs.”
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Hide AdThe lake at Wainwrights - similarly to the Blue Lagoon - is known to have a very high PH level due to lime from the old quarry.
Peter told how the water also harboured other dangers - such as abandoned vehicles and machinery.
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Hide AdHe said: “The turquoise water actually makes it look rather nice but there’s all sorts down there - someone said their old motorbike ended up at the bottom and it’s icy cold.”
Coun Roberts said he hoped now the Google pin had been removed the village would not suffer the same problems during the coming weeks.
He said security at the site had also been increased since Saturday night’s incident.