Thousands of residents in South Yorkshire postcode area warned not to drink tap water after bacteria is found

Customers in 3,600 properties in the village of Thorne, near Doncaster, have been told not to use their tap water.

High levels of bacteria have been detected in the local water supply.

The affected areas are postcodes starting with:

DN8 4B; DN8 4D; DN8 4E; DN8 4H; DN8 4J; DN8 4L; DN8 4N; DL8 4P; DN8 4Q; DN8 4R; DN8 4S; DN8 4S; DN8 4T; DN8 5A; DN8 5B; DN8 5D; DN8 5E; DN8 5F; DN8 5G; DN8 5J; DN8 5N; DN8 5Q; DN8 5R; DN8 5S; DN8 5T

Following consultation with local health experts, customers are being told not to:

- Drink their tap water

- Cook or prepare foods with their tap water

- Clean their teeth with tap water

- Let their pets drink the tap water

Yorkshire Water said: “ Alternative supplies are being proactively delivered to customers on our register of vulnerable customers.

“More bottled water for the general public is due to be delivered to two locations in the village very shortly tonight and will be replenished throughout the weekend on a regular basis. These locations are highlighted below within the map. Additional bottled water collection points may be established throughout the weekend.

It raised the alarm earlier this evening when it posted a message on Twitter this evening which said: “Bacteria detected in #DN8 water supply, DO NOT DRINK.”

On Yorkshire Water’s website it said that it was arranging for bottled water to be delivered to the Moorlands Hotel, Marshland Rd and The Rugby Club at 7pm.