"Environment Agency Ecological Appraisal Officers in Sussex have identified
the rare Blue-Green algae (Cyanobacteria), named Arthrospira, in a sample
from a pond in West Sussex. This is the very first confirmed
record of the algae in the UK.

The algae was recently verified by scientific experts from the University of
Durham and London's Natural History Museum.

Close relatives of Arthrospira are used to make the algal health food
'Spirulina', however not all Blue-Green algae are beneficial to health with
many species being highly toxic to humans, fish and other animals.

Sean Ashworth, Area Ecological Team Specialist, said: "We don't know how
this algae found its way to Sussex, as it usually occurs in warmer climates
than those in the UK. However, with global warming and increasingly hotter
summers it is likely we may see more of this algae appearing in our waters."