IF you are feeling as fit as a fiddle today then why not treat yourself to a nostalgic trip back to the days when you might not have been so lucky.

Special tours are being held on Thursday and Friday, taking visitors back through time to see how clean water ended the age of cholera in Exeter.

One exclusive tour of Pynes Water Treatment Works near Cowley Bridge will take each day, hosted by South West Water quality experts dressed in full period costume.

As part of Exeter's Heritage Open Days, visitors will be treated to a talk on the history of Exeter's water supply, before being whisked around the fully operational treatment works, which were built after the city's 1832 cholera outbreak that claimed the lives of 440 people.

The cholera epidemic of 1832 reached Exeter from Russia with the first cases reported in July.

A young doctor, Thomas Shapter, charted its progress and became convinced its virulence was linked to sanitary conditions.

His account was influential in the decision to move Exeter's water supply and remove livestock from the city.

Dr John Snow, drawing upon Shapter's work, proved London's 1854 outbreak was directly connected to a water pump. Ever since, the provision of clean water has been the mainstay against the risk of cholera across the world.

The 1832 outbreak in Exeter led to a radical rethink of how and where the city's water supply was taken from the River Exe.

Eventually, it was decided to move the water source from Exe Street near the city centre to Pynes Leat, where the risk of pollution was less.

The same year, 1833, the Exeter Water Company was formed.

Treatment processes at Pynes have been progressively updated and the plant can now supply up to 60 million litres of record quality drinking water every day.

Walkers on the free tours will be able to see examples of the current treatment processes, along with glimpses of the past systems and some original stonework from 1833 when the works were first built.

Science and water quality manager Chris Rockey said: "Pynes has a fascinating history and is the perfect venue for one of Exeter's Heritage Open Days. I always enjoy showing people around the site and talking about the massive benefits it has brought the city over the last 175 years."

Places on the free tours are limited and must be booked. The tours will start at 10am and last for about two hours. To book places, contact South West Water's communications team on 01392 443020.