News, views and top stories in your inbox. Don't miss our must-read newsletter Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

IT looks like a carwash gone out of control – and the truth really has got locals in a lather.

Drivers and walkers heading along the promenade at a popular Lancashire tourist spot were swamped by thick, dirty foam yesterday.

The oily bubbles were blown ashore after 90mph winds battered the resort of Cleveleys, near Blackpool.

In places the freak foam was almost 3ft deep, trapping residents in their homes and stranding drivers.

Resident Gorden Stanley said: “The situation with the foam is horrendous, normally it happens once every few years but it has been like this three times this year.

"It is oil based so it is terrible for your car and stains your clothes and windows, people don’t like to go out of the house in it.

“It’s not just the promenade, it gets blown inland so bungalows at the back of my house are totally covered too. If this is detergent in the water caused by industry or by shipping, it needs to be investigated, it shouldn’t be happening as often as this.”

Last night the Environment Agency was probing the foam to check for polluting material. A spokesman said: “We have taken samples of the foam as obviously if this is caused by any kind of polluting material, we need to know about it.

“Early samples are not showing any trace of detergent so we think it could be the combination of decomposing algal matter churned with the tide and the westerly wind which is causing the foam.

“We know it happens occasionally and can disappear again quite quickly so we will be looking further into what triggers it.”