A mystery pink liquid spilt across a 200-metre stretch has caused confusion and concern for Swindon residents. 

Holst Road and Dyson Road in Redhouse were plastered in a long line of the pink-coloured fluid on Wednesday, leaving many people wondering what it was, whether it was dangerous and what had happened. 

But what wasn't a mystery was the source of the spillage as a resident in the area managed to capture a video of the culprit.

It revealed that the pink liquid appeared to be streaming out of the rear corner of a Swindon Borough Council waste collection lorry operating at the time. 

​A member of the public who lives in the area, but did not want to be named, said: "It was very concerning to see something like that, what is the pink stuff, and why it was coming out of the bin lorry so quickly?"

Another added: "It's spread out over quite a long distance, so it's hard to see how the crew hard to see the crew wouldn't have been aware given the amount pouring out of the back."

Swindon Advertiser: Pink liquid streaming out of a Swindon Borough Council bin lorryPink liquid streaming out of a Swindon Borough Council bin lorry (Image: Public)But after being notified that one of their vehicles might have been responsible, Swindon Borough Council swiftly began investigating the matter and solved the puzzle. 

A Swindon Borough Council spokesperson said: “While our team was collecting garden waste from the area, an item within the collection was incorrectly included by a resident which was then crushed by our vehicle.

“The liquid from this then leaked onto the road while collections continued.

“We’re inspecting the vehicle for the leak and will make sure it’s resolved and look at how we prevent this in the future. We will also send a team out to clean the area as soon as we can.

“In the meantime, it’s important for residents to check they’re putting the right items in the correct bins.

More information can be found on our website: www.swindon.gov.uk/info/20015/bins_rubbish_and_recycling”

A build-up over Christmas had caused the new waste and recycling lorries to fall behind in their collections, sparking weeks of delays and missed pick-ups. 

But while some collections are still being missed, things appear to have settled down. 

The new system was brought in during November last year, with a bid to improve the town's recycling levels as it falls below the national average.