South West Water has been fined £1.85m - a record fine for a drinking water offence - after it admitted to supplying contaminated water, which was unfit for human consumption, to thousands of residents in south Devon.

The water firm faces a fine after Birxham (pictured) locals were infected with cryptosporidiosis - a waterborne bug, which causes sickness, diarrhoea and stomach cramps.

The company was prosecuted after the water supply in the Brixham area of Devon was contaminated by the parasite which causes sickness and diarrhoea