Water contamination source found

The source of contamination in the water supply in part of Somerset has been identified.

However Wessex Water is continuing to advise its customers in the affected areas to boil their tap water before drinking or cooking with it.

"Samples were taken on Sunday but these will take 24 hours to analyse - once these are clear the boil notice will be lifted," a company spokesman said.

Severe storms on Wednesday are though to be to blame for the incident.

On Friday and Saturday teams of engineers were out flushing and re-chlorinating water supplies in the affected areas.

It is believed about 6,000 properties have been affected. These include Chard, Tatworth and south Chard.

A Wessex Water spokesman said water should be boiled before drinking, washing or cooking food, cleaning teeth or for medical purposes.

He said water could be used directly from the tap for washing, bathing and flushing the toilet.

The areas affected are: Bridge, Chaffcombe, Chard Common, Chard Junction, Forde Abbey, Forton, Leigh, Lower Coombses, Lydmarsh, Perry Street, Purtington, South Chard, Tatworth, Two Ash Hill, Winsham, Lydmarsh, Tatworth, Chilsom Common and White Gate.