Love Island style hot tubs are "bacteria breeding grounds"

The trend for hot tubs are at the height of popularity due to the influence of shows such as the ITV2 hit Love Island.

However, microbiologists from the Evirochem laboratory in Fareham have done nineteen inspections of the water quality in hot tubs and pools which have failed basic health tests.

They detected number of different types of stomach churning bacteria including E.coli which is normally only found in human and animal faeces as well as Pseudomonas aeruginosa which can cause a number of health issues.

This includes: urinary tract infections, respiratory infections, dermatitis and gastrointestinal infections.

Head of Microbiology at Broadcut-based Envirochem, Dr Duncan Russell, said: “Infectious agents can be easily introduced to a spa pool by bathers, from dirt entering the pool or from the water source itself. Once in the spa pool, conditions often exist for these infectious agents to grow and proliferate.

“The Code of Practice for swimming pool water from the Pool Water Treatment Advisory Group sets out how the technical operation of the pool should function for safe and successful swimming pool water.

“Swimming pool water should be microbiologically tested monthly to monitor for the presence of potentially harmful micro-organisms.

“The wide availability of home testing kits for water quality makes it much easier today for individuals to ensure their hot tubs and swimming pools are as clean as they should be, keeping the risk of illness and infection to a minimum.”