Eastleigh residents have been flooding trading standards bosses with calls about a private firm's water survey.

Life Style Water has been asking people living in the borough to fill a sample bottle with tap water from the kitchen sink so it can test it.

Also, householders are required to fill in a questionnaire.

The kits include a leaflet stressing that Life Style Water is an independent company and that the test is free.

It says that if pollutants are found in the water supply "a consultant may offer you methods of purification, but there is no obligation whatsoever to make any purchase".

But leading Eastleigh councillor Chris Thomas told the Daily Echo he was worried because the questionnaire asked people to include their age bracket.

Cllr Thomas, who is a member of the borough council's executive Cabinet, said: "People will be concerned that their water supply is polluted - and it isn't.

"I have checked with the borough's environmental health department.

"Asking for an age group seems rather strange and I would just like to advise the elderly and vulnerable that the water supply in Eastleigh is perfectly drinkable."

A spokesman for Hampshire County Council's trading standards department said the firm was not breaking any law but they had received inquiries about the survey.

She added: "We have known about this company for several years.

They do test the water for nothing but they may follow up the water test with a salesman calling or a phone call to sell water softeners.

"Our only advice is if you don't want to be approached by a salesman, don't take part."

The Daily Echo was unable to contact Waterlooville-based Life Style Water.

A website quoted on the leaflet was "under construction" and calling the given telephone number produced a dead line.