‘IRRESPONSIBLE’ pranksters have transformed a park fountain into a huge bubble bath - sparking fears it could harm wildlife.

The fountain in South Marine Park, South Shields, is likely to be out of action for some time after jokers filled it with so much foam, chunks floated off into nearby roads.

An investigation and clean-up operation is underway, with officials from South Tyneside Council describing the the act as “irresponsible.”

A spokesman said: “This irresponsible behaviour simply puts an additional burden on taxpayers who ultimately have to pay for this to be remedied. The waterfall will be out of action for some time.

“We will be reviewing CCTV footage as part of our investigations. Our maintenance engineers will drain and refill the water feature to try to address the problem.

“This sort of activity may seem like a bit of fun but it can be detrimental to fauna and flora as well as wildlife.”

He continued: “This type of stunt can also block the waterfall filters and damage the equipment used to make the waterfall an attractive place to visit.”