UNITED Utilities last night promised its Lancashire customers hit by a microscopic parasite in their water that its engineers were ‘working round the clock’ to end the scare.

A spokeswoman said installing special ultra-violet light rigs to kill the cryptosporidium was one of its biggest-ever engineering projects.

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Yesterday Public Health England said its experts had so far failed to detect any increase in symptoms of the microbe in the affected area of Preston, Blackpool, Chorley, the Fylde, Mellor, Mellor Book and Abbey Village.

They said anyone developing vomiting and diarrhoea should contact their GP who would report test results to its laboratories.

Dr John Astbury, from PHE’s Cumbria and Lancashire Health Protection team, joined United Utilities in telling residents and businesses in the affected area to continue using boiled or bottled water for all drinking, food preparation and brushing teeth.

Experts from UU, PHE and the Drinking Water Inspectorate will meet tomorrow to discuss whether to lift the alert, possibly on an area-by-area basis.

Dr Astbury said: “It is not unusual to see cases of cryptosporidium and on average PHE would see between 3,000 to 6,000 cases nationally.

“We have not noticed any cases of cryptosporidium above our normal levels in the boiled water area for this time of year. We have put enhanced surveillance measures in place.

“These would determine whether the water was a risk factor in their infection.

“We remind people to follow the advice from United Utilities. People should be reassured that the risk of infection is low.

“If anyone does have symptoms of diarrhoea and vomiting our advice is to stay hydrated, practice strict hand hygiene, stay away from work or other gatherings until 48 hours after the last bout of symptoms and if you are concerned phone your GP or NHS 111.”

A United Utilities spokeswoman said: “We continue to install the ultra violet rigs, capable of killing the last remaining traces.”