One of two signs warning about hazards of swimming in the Mangatainoka River at the Pahiatua Town Bridge was ripped down and thrown in the river by vandals, according to a local resident.
What the signs didn't warn about were dead eels in the water, noticed by Ross Gillespie.
"I think the cause of the dead eels is the water quality not being good," he said. "I phoned the Horizons pollution hotline and the person said they had other calls about dead eels in the river. The freshwater scientist said it was down to the super moon."
Ross laughed at the moon being the likely cause and is still waiting for the council to call him back.
Pahiatua's Tina Reiri is now thinking twice about swimming in the river. She had been in twice on Monday January 29 accompanied by one small live eel. But when she heard about the dead eels that had been seen, she is not keen on swimming there again.
