Burst pipes causing mayhem in big thaw

Hundreds of homes and businesses have been hit by flooding in the big thaw as burst pipes cause chaos.

The milder weather is wreaking havoc across the region as previously frozen pipes thaw and reveal their leaks.

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service was called out to more than 40 floodings in the space of just two days across the county, while Walsall-based emergency repair company Homeserve handled "thousands" of calls nationwide.

Customers calling Severn Trent Water's call centre yesterday were facing waits of 60 to 90 minutes.

Severn Trent Water and South Staffs Water were today continuing to deal with hundreds of calls about burst pipes. Fraser Pithie, Severn Trent's senior operations manager, said: "Please if you have a burst pipe, don't call us — we can't help you and you need to call a plumber.

"Customers are hanging on the line for 60 to 90 minutes waiting to get through to us, but unfortunately we can't help them as pipework on customers' property is their responsibility and not Severn Trent's."

Sedgley couple Paul and Lyn Jones returned from holiday today to learn a flood had brought down the ceiling in one of their bedrooms. A relative had been checking on their home in

Alder Coppice, off Northway, and discovered the flood yesterday afternoon, which caused £30,000 of damage.

Crews from Stafford were called to a home in Furlong House, Weston, near Stafford, yesterday after the occupant returned home to find a leak had also brought the ceiling down.

In Tedder Road, Stafford, three adjoining student houses which had been empty over Christmas had flooded due to burst pipes.

Firefighters cut off the electricity and water supplies to a house in Magpie Close, Netherton, to avoid further damage after a burst pipe.

Firefighters also spent about 90 minutes pumping out the cellar of L A Mayne opticians in Bridgnorth Road, Wollaston, Stourbridge, yesterday.