Shoppers in End were left bewildered yesterday afternoon when a tidal wave of white foam suddenly swept across the High Street, forcing several shops to close and leaving pedestrians looking like they’d walked through a bubble bath.
The incident, which began shortly after 2 p.m., is believed to have originated from a malfunctioning industrial washing machine in the basement of Clean & Gleam Launderette. Within minutes, the foam had surged up through the pavement grates and spilled across the road, rising knee-high in some places.
“I thought it was snowing at first,” said bewildered passer-by Linda Perkins, who was carrying two bags of shopping at the time. “Then I realised I was knee-deep in bubbles and my bread was soggy. You don’t expect that sort of thing on a Saturday.”
Children, however, appeared to delight in the chaos. “Best day ever!” shouted 8-year-old Thomas Naylor, who was spotted diving headfirst into a drift outside Greggs. His mother, somewhat less amused, described the upcoming clean-up of his coat as “a nightmare.”
Emergency services were called, though firefighters admitted there was little they could do besides stand and watch as the foam gradually dispersed. “It’s not exactly hazardous,” said Fire Officer Dave Rees. “Just very slippery. We did advise people not to eat it, but of course someone did. They are being seen by a paramedic as we speak.”
Clean & Gleam owner Martin Fowler apologised for the disruption but insisted the incident was “a freak occurrence.”
“One of our machines went into overdrive,” he explained. “We use a new eco-friendly detergent, and apparently it reacts quite enthusiastically when overfilled. I can assure residents this won’t happen again—we’ve reduced our bubble quota by half.”
The foam eventually cleared by evening, though traces could still be seen clinging to lampposts and the bronze statue of Cedric Blott in Market Square.
Council workers began a formal investigation this morning. A spokesperson confirmed: “While unusual, the incident does highlight the importance of maintaining commercial appliances. We are relieved no one was injured, though the End pigeons now appear exceptionally clean.”
