Mystery illness traced to water pollution

An illness which has affected the population of the village of Leafton was traced last week to the local water supply.

More than 50 residents have been suffering from stomach pain for over a week.  And local doctors were unable to explain the cause.  It was only when the health authorities were called in that the water supply was found to contain large amounts of mercury, which can be extremely poisonous.

 The source of the poisoning was found to be a small factory located near the river. The factory was dumping untreated waste into the river, which eventually reached the village’s water supply.

One local resident said, "It’s terrible to think that so many people can be poisoned by simple carelessness". The factory has been fined and shut for an unknown period of time.