A DUMBARTON mum is pleading with the council for water warning signs after her children got bitten by a parasite after swimming in Loch Lomond.

Debbie MacDonald and her partner took their children, Brooke and Dylan and their nephew, Brodie to Ross Priory in Alexandria for a family afternoon of swimming.

However, the fun quickly was halted after the children were bitten by a parasite in the waters leaving them in agony from the pain.

She told the Reporter: “I have never experienced anything like that. We have swam every summer and had been fine.

“We decided to go to Ross Priory because it is quieter and tucked away compared to the rest of Loch Lomond and my nephew went the day before and had been perfectly fine.

“The water was lovely and I searched for blue green algae before as I know that can be dangerous and there was nothing.”

Dumbarton and Vale of Leven Reporter:

The seven-year-old came out of the water and soon complained of being itchy.

The 44-year-old said: “After a while she started to lose it and we thought it was just an allergic reaction, so packed up to go home.

"However the boys started too. By the time we got back to Dumbarton from dropping off our nephew, the two kids were screaming in pain.

“We put them in the shower to settle them. I phoned the doctor who suggested we go to hospital.”

Both children were then put on steroids to ease the pain and have now been left with a severe rash on the legs from the incident.

Dumbarton and Vale of Leven Reporter:

Wild water swimming has become an increasingly growing trend during lockdown, however the incident has led to further warnings around the dangers it may bring.

It’s thought those involved in the most recent Loch Lomond incident may have cercarial dermatitis, otherwise known as ‘Swimmer’s itch, which is an itchy rash that can occur after swimming in freshwater lakes and ponds.

The rash is usually caused by an allergic reaction to parasites that live in waterfowl and some mammals and which burrow into the skin.

Dumbarton and Vale of Leven Reporter:

It is recommended that children should immediately be towel dried after leaving the waters.

Debbie is now calling on the council and national park authorities to put up signage to warn others in an attempt to prevent the incident happening again.

A spokesperson for the University of Strathclyde said: “The safety and wellbeing of visitors to Ross Priory is our first priority.  ‘No swimming’ signs are displayed along the loch shoreline and we encourage everyone to heed them.”