Burst pipe causes mayhem

Homes and businesses were left without water and shop staff put up temporary barriers to stop flooding after a water main burst in a Midland town centre.

Water gushing out of the main ran down Market Street, Hednesford, which will now be shut for two days while repairs take place.

The burst under a section of pavement near to the William Hill bookmakers happened at about 3.30pm yesterday. Water was not fully restored until 8.30am today.

It is believed the water pipe had burst due to rising temperatures. The pipe had a six-inch split and the local drains struggled to cope with the flow of water. South Staffordshire

Water received 35 calls from people who had lost their water supply at around 3.30pm. Most had the supply restored during the evening.

Colin Wayper, a spokesman for the water company, said "We get an increase in these problems in the winter, but not normally this early. It's the first real thaw we've had."

Staff at William Hill used sand and wooden boards to try and divert the running water away from the shop.

Linda Whitehouse, from Bromley's Estate Agents, in Market Street, said: "It was absolutely horrendous. It was coming down quite thick — like a river."

She said that they had been worried the drains would not be able to cope with the volume of water.

Meanwhile, a burst water pipe caused by the temporary thaw left a Bilston house flooded and forced an elderly woman out of her home today.

Fire crews were called to Wallace Road, Bradley, at 3.20am. The flood stemmed from a pipe in the property's attic, leaking into a vacant first floor flat and into the ground floor flat where the elderly woman was sleeping.

Electrics had to be isolated and the property was left water damaged. Crews left at 6.15am.