Copeland's water is safe to drink, according to independent testing by The Drinking Water Inspectorate.

It follows furious residents calling for action following a change in the water supply.

In a statement published today, The Drinking Water Inspectorate said it was aware that United Utilities have changed the source of water that supplies drinking water to the Copeland area.

"The inspectorate is investigating the event, and has obtained from the company sampling information from the area of supply. We have independently reviewed the sample results and can confirm that the samples show the supply is safe to drink," it stated.

"This change of supply has introduced ‘harder’ water (containing more minerals), which is causing concern to some consumers.

"The Drinking Water Inspectorate’s main task is to check that water companies in England and Wales supply wholesome drinking water that complies with regulations.

"As part of our investigation, we will look in detail at the actions of the company from when it first altered the supply.

And it added: "We will also review communications with consumers, and we will be contacting a sample of consumers who have raised concerns to enable them to provide their experiences to our investigation.

"All of our investigations are published."