AN urgent warning has sparked panic buying in a seaside town and sent tourists fleeing after hundreds fell sick.
Locals in parts of Devon have been urged to "not drink" tap water without boiling it after a horror waterborne parasite was found in the supply.
Residents and visitors alike are experiencing grim symptoms including watery diarrhoea, stomach pains, nausea or vomiting, a mild fever, and loss of appetite.
The UK Health Security Agency is investigating 22 cases of cryptosporidium in South Devon - with hundreds more feared ill.
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Residents across Brixham, Boohay, Kingswear, Roseland and North East Paignton must boil their tap water, South West Water (SWW) warned.
The UK Health Security Agency said it was working with Torbay Council, SWW, NHS Devon and the Environment Agency to investigate the cases.
A further 70 suspected incidents have been reported in Brixham as lorries were filmed bringing bottled water to the stricken fishing town amid reports of panic buying bottled water in supermarkets.
A local school has been forced to close tomorrow as it was still waiting on a bottled water delivery, too.
Residents say they fear the water has been contaminated for a long time as they've had symptoms for weeks.
One of those is Kathy Hudson, 67.
The retiree said: “I have been ill since last week with cramps, diarrhoea, sickness and dizziness. My daughter-in-law has also got ill.
“I don’t want to know what is in the water I have been drinking but now they are saying not to wash your hands, can you shower? What’s it going to do to you?
“I have been coming out with terrible eczema in the last couple of weeks which I haven’t in ages.”
To make matters worse Kathy says she hasn’t been able to buy any bottled water as panic buyers have stripped shelves in the town’s supermarkets.
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She added: “There is no water left in any of the shops in town.
“I think South West Water made a mess for themselves by saying yesterday there was nothing wrong with the water and to keep drinking it.
“They should’ve been testing the water before it happened.”
SWW had previously said tests on drinking water quality returned clear results but on Wednesday were "investigating the source" of the contamination.
Resident Tanya Matthews, who lives in the Ocean View area, said every household on her street is displaying symptoms of the bug.
She told DevonLive: "I started having stomach cramps and explosive diarrhoea nine days ago and it has been the same every day since.
"I started to feel a little bit better yesterday then today [May 14] it hit me again."
Cryptosporidium is a parasite that can live in the intestines and faeces of infected humans and animals.
It can spread through swimming in or consuming contaminated water, but can also be passed on in food.
One person who wanted to remain anonymous thought they had norovirus, adding: "But as it went on for so long, I had to contact the doctors.
"It's the worst illness I've ever experienced.
"I sent off a stool sample which came back as cryptosporidium which I had never heard off until I saw the post on Brixham Fish Town."
Eden Park Primary and Nursery School tonight revealed it would be closed to most students tomorrow.
Headteacher Benjamin Wallis said in a letter to parents: “As you are aware we were informed earlier this afternoon that South West Water were hoping to deliver water to us for use in the school as we are in an affected area.
“As of writing this to you we have yet to receive the water or communication about when this is to arrive.
“In order to make sure everyone has as much notice as possible we have had to make the difficult decision to now close the school tomorrow as you will understand running a school without drinking water is not possible.
“We remain hopeful about opening again on Friday pending deliveries and the situation."
Anyone can get cryptosporidiosis, but it is most common in children aged between one and five, according to the NHS.
They don't have any water because everyone is panic buying
Clare, owner of Casa Nostra Italian
People who care for, or work with kids are more at risk than others.
There is no specific treatment for the bug, but sufferers are advised to drink plenty of fluids and re-hydrate.
South West Water confirmed on Wednesday that customers hit with a Boil Water Notice will be given an automatic £15 as a result of "interrupted" services.
Clare, who owns Casa Nostra Italian in Brixham, says she's lost nearly all her covers amid the contaminated water chaos.
And she said panic buying has seen the shelves of all the local supermarkets cleared of bottled water.
The proprietor told The Sun: "I was near enough fully booked, we trade three days a week. So many have cancelled. I've only got a table of five left.
"Roughly lost a grand, grand a half a night. When you're getting billed £2,000 for electricity a month, it's worrying.
"No-one has approached any businesses or said has this affected you. I know it has."
She added: "They don't have any water because everyone is panic buying.
"Iceland has not even one bottle of water. The one in Paignton, absolutely no water. Tesco has no water. Not one bottle.
"Local Co-Op nothing. I walked all the way to the Spar on Fore Street and they don't have any either."
Clare reckons the bug has been in Brixham "for weeks" after she was hospitalised on April 3 and her husband left severely ill just two weeks ago.
She said: "I think it is a lot more widespread than what they are saying."
At Brixham Greengrocer, manager ‘Bash’ said worried customers have been asking him whether his produce is washed in tap water and even if he can order supplies of water to sell.
He said: “Fortunately what we sell is fresh and we don’t wash it in store.
"I live in Brixham and we are boiling water before we drink it, we also have a filter.”
Local Karen Chapman, 65, added: “I only found out yesterday and I drink squash with tap water all day.
“I pay a lot of money for water and it’s going up but you can’t even drink it, plus electricity is sky high so it costs to boil the water every time you want to drink it. I have had no water all day because everywhere is sold out of bottles.
“It reminds me of the panic buying toilet rolls during Covid.”
Kayley Lewis, who also lives on Ocean Drive, said her eldest son Jacob was hospitalised overnight on May 5 with severe dehydration.
She explained: "I then started to feel unwell on May 6 and had awful stomach pains and watery diarrhoea lasting six days."
It's the worst illness I've ever experienced.
Her other son Oscar has had similar symptoms while youngest Daisy has only experienced tummy cramps, Kayley said.
It is not the first time a spike in cryptospordium has swept Britain.
Last year, a record 367 cases of the nasty bug were recorded during the week ending October 2.
A spokesperson from South West Water previously said: "We are aware of posts on social media regarding the quality of drinking water in the Brixham area and we would like to reassure customers that the water supply is fine to continue to use as normal.
"We have carried out sampling and tests for cryptosporidium and all results have come back clear.
"We always carefully monitor our drinking water supplies and we are supporting the UK Health Security Agency with their investigations."
Sarah Bird, Consultant in Health Protection at UKHSA South West said: “We advise people in the affected areas to follow the advice from South West Water and boil their drinking water and allow to cool before use.
“Anyone with a diarrhoeal illness should drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration and if they have severe symptoms like bloody diarrhoea, they should contact NHS111 or their GP surgery.
“Symptoms include: watery diarrhoea, stomach pains, dehydration, weight loss and fever, which can last for 2-3 weeks. Anyone can get cryptosporidiosis, but it is most common in young children aged between 1 and 5 years and most healthy people will recover fully.
“For most people, cryptosporidium symptoms can be managed at home without medical advice.
“Those affected should stay off school and work for 48hrs since the last episode of illness and away from swimming pools for 14 days after the last episode of illness.”
