HUNDREDS of South West Water customers gained an insight into the company's activities on free guided tours of three operational sites recently.

A total of 242 people looked behind the scenes at Roadford Dam, near Broadwoodwidger, Pynes Water Treatment Works in Exeter, and Gun Cliff Sewage Pumping Station in Lyme Regis, as part of the national Heritage Open Days programme.

Members of the public were invited to climb 170 steps to the top of Roadford tower at the region's largest reservoir.

Monica Read, South West Water's customer relations director, said: 'We were delighted to once again open the doors to our operational sites and give our customers an opportunity to see for themselves the investments we have made to clean and waste water processes.

'We have received very positive feedback from customers who were keen to find out more about the complex operations we carry out every day in order to deliver high standards of service, from secure drinking water supply through to safe disposal of treated waste water.'

At last year's Heritage Open Day the company organised tours of Brokenbury Waste Water Treatment Works in Torbay and Mary Tavy Hydro- Electric Power Station.