Bosses at a dyeing firm fear children swimming in their mill pond could have a catastrophic effect on business.

They say the dippers are costing William Denby & Sons, of Baildon, up to £500,000 a year by stirring up water used in the dyeing process.

And the firm says children who cool off in the pond - which is 18ft deep in places - are putting their lives at risk during hot weather.

The disturbance in the water causes silt and debris from the base of the pond to rise.

This affects the ability of the company, which employs 140 people, to dye its cloth to the necessary quality demanded by customers.

Now the specialist dyers and finishers based in Tong Park say they could be forced to call in security staff to patrol the area.

The firm has been in business since 1820 and ranks Marks & Spencer, Next, and Bhs among its customers.

But executive chairman Roderick Marsden claims the escalating problem - which looks set to continue with warmer weather predicted for next weekend and the summer holidays looming - could cause profits to fall despite a turnaround in the last few months.

"We are extremely concerned about the situation," he said. "One day this week we had to destroy 50 per cent of our work because the water had been contaminated.

"This was because children had been playing and dogs had been swimming in the pond. On other days we have had to send people home because we knew the water wouldn't be good enough to dye the fabrics.

"But it is not just our business we are concerned about but also the safety of the children. The pond reaches 18ft deep very suddenly, and as we approach the summer holidays we think that more people will try to use the pond to swim in."

The company uses more than two-and-a-half million gallons of water a week.

He added: "We have to work to very tight deadlines and if we only have ten days to get an order ready this problem could result in a loss of customers. Ultimately this will force job losses and put the future of the company in jeopardy at an already tough time for textile companies. It is a tremendous strain."

Infact the situation has become so bad that Mr Marsden, who lives 175 miles away in Shrewsbury, said he was forced to stay in Baildon and patrol the area last weekend. During an afternoon he counted 12 people and eight dogs in the pond at one time.

He said warning signs had been vandalised and ripped down and the firm may have to introduce security patrols if the situation continues.

A spokesman for the Society of Dyers and Colourers in Bradford said: "Children and dogs swimming in the mill pond may disturb minerals and salts from the bed. Water is a major factor in textile water processing and variations in levels of calcium and magnesium can cause problems with the hardness and softness of water. This could therefore affect the various aspects of the dyeing process.

"But we must also not forget the dangers faced by the children swimming in the cold natural water."

Denbys use the water from Gilbeck River which runs through Baildon Moor into the mill pond, which is owned by the company. Mr Marsden said moving the business to another area would mean working with Yorkshire Water which would cost up to £600,000 a year. It would also put pressure on the water supplied to homes.

A British Waterways spokesman said people should be warned about the dangers of playing in reservoirs or ponds during hot weather.

ENDS

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