Theory about mysterious 'yellow slick' at west coast

There are reports from across the coastline of cars and garden furniture having been affected.

Camera Club member Ian Dalgleish sent in the above photo of the sea covered in a 'yellow slick' like appearance.

He said: "A mysterious yellow slick has appeared in the sea along the Largs shore this morning, May 7. Does anyone know what it is?"

Horticulture expert Ian Taylor, who lives in Wemyss Bay, said it is a unique phenomenon which he has only seen once before in France in 1989.

Ian, who is president of the Largs and District Horticultural Society, said: "If it is ever going to happen, it is going to be during the month of May.

"I lived in France for a while and there were literally millions of pine trees where we stayed and that is where the pollen bloom came from, so it is something very similar we are seeing here.

"I noticed when I was visiting the beach that there is a sort of yellow scum on the top of the sea and around the edges and that is where it has come from.

Another photo taken of the seafront this morning is believed to be pollen bloom (Image: Ian Dalgleish)

"I am not sure which trees locally it has come from and it is not hay pollen as far as I am aware, and I don't think, given that I saw it in 1989 in France, that it is related to climate change either.

"It didn't seem to do much damage and at this time of year you do get blossom fading away in the light breeze."

There are online reports of pollen blooms as far as Ontario in Canada, and Michigan in America.

Consistent wind directions over a number of days can accumulate pollen onto windward banks and can build up so significantly that it resembles a thick 'slick' with the colour reflecting the origin of the pollen, according to internet sources around the globe.

We have contacted the Scottish Environment Protection Agency for further comment.