SYDNEY'S iconic Bondi Beach has been forced to close after red algae turned the waters the colour of BLOOD.
Authorities have warned swimmers at the Australian tourist attraction following the freak natural event.
Contact with the ammonia-filled algae could cause skin and eye irritation and tests are being conducted to establish if there are any other dangers.
Local lifeguard Bruce Hopkins said: "It has got quite a fishy smell to it.
"It can irritate some people's skin but generally not much more than that."
Irene Eristian, 33, said: "I wasn't sure if I should let my daughter into the water as I wasn't sure what it was."
But not everyone has obeyed the notice, with several swimmers taking a dip at Bondi Beach, and also-affected Clovelly Beach.
A spokesman for the New South Wales Office of Water said that the algae - known as sea sparkle - may have been caused by an upswell of nutrient-rich water.
And the local council warned: "There are some possible risks to human health including skin rashes and eye irritation and for this reason the beach will remain closed until the algae dissipates."
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