Coca-Cola has agreed a deal to acquire UK bottled water company Abbey Well.

The US drinks giant announced yesterday that it had acquired Waters & Robson Holdings, which controls the Abbey Well water brand and is based in Morpeth, Northumberland.

"We have been looking for the right bottled water opportunity to expand the range of drinks we offer consumers for some time,” said Coca-Cola UK chief Sanjay Guha, “and in Abbey Well we have acquired a natural, sustainable and high-quality British-sourced water."

For Coca-Cola, the purchase adds to an existing portfolio that already includes premium water brand Malvern and US brand Glaceau, which the US drinks giant snapped up earlier this year.

The acquisition comes after a failed attempt last year to buy Highland Spring, while the ill-fated Dasani brand was ditched within weeks of its launch when it was revealed to be modified tap water.