A second source for Malvern's famous spring water could be tapped into by Coca-Cola Enterprises.

The firm has submitted a planning application for a borehole and pipeline from Walms Well Spring, on the Eastnor estate, to supply its Colwall factory.

The new pipe would be hidden underground and join up with the existing pipe from Primes Well, near Colwall.

Garry O'Neill, operations manager at the factory, said: "The idea is to support our current production because the source is so dependent on the weather. We don't always have the volume of water we need."

Mr O'Neill said the project was in its early stages but that if permission was granted the company was unlikely to go ahead for at least two years.

Meanwhile, new machinery to collect and bottle the water will be installed at the factory by Christmas. The firm already has planning permission for a warehouse extension, which it hopes to build in the next five years. The second water souce is meant to be the final part of the project and would depend on funding.

"That is the end goal for three years or five years' time," said Mr O'Neill. "It's not in the plan for the next two years but obviously we need planning permission to be sought because it takes time."

Mr O'Neill said Malvern Hills Conservators and the Environment Agency supported the plan and people would not be able to see any evidence of the work once it was complete.

He said a couple of local residents had expressed concern that it would mean an increase in production and, therefore, disturbance.

But he said the project should allow the factory to run more efficiently and eventually return to a 9am to 5pm schedule, instead of the current 6am to 2pm and 2pm to 10pm.