People in the North West are panic buying bottled water

[Jazzy]

People in the North West are panic buying bottled water after parasite discovery

A parasite found in the tap water of homes in northwest England has made it unsafe to drink, leading to panicked buying of bottled water.

Supermarkets throughout Chorley, Blackpool and Preston amongst other places have seen their shelves emptied of bottled water following the announcement.

Traces of the parasite Cryptosporidium were found during routine tests of waterworks in Preston, and if ingested it can cause diarrhea and vomiting.

Residents were told to boil their tap water before drinking it, however many have seemingly opted to simply buy bottled water until the warning is called off.

United Utilities have told people who are affected by the issue in Preston, Chorely, Blackpool, South Ribble, Fylde and Wyre that the water is still perfectly safe to bathe and wash clothes in.

Martin Padley, the chief scientific officer for United Utilities, said: ‘We apologize for the inconvenience but the health of our customers is absolutely paramount.’

Do you live in any of these affected areas?