'Everything is ruined': Anger as homes wrecked by burst water main for second time
People have been left counting the cost of damage caused by a water main bursting for the second time in four months.
Workers are mounting a major clean-up operation in Park Lane West, Tipton, which left a school closed for a second day today.
The pipe burst yesterday, just four months after it burst in October, leaving water flowing 20ft in the air.
Some residents found dog mess had been carried into their homes by the force of the water after the main burst.
The ground floor of a nearby flat was under around a foot of water in the aftermath.
The 23-year-old, who gave her name as Daria, said her one-year-old baby's pram has been ruined for the second time by the water, after forking out £260 just a couple of months ago replacing the last one.
She said: "The push chair is now damp and it smells. There is animal mess in the flat.
"I was woken up by a firefighter on Tuesday and he asked if I was alone and I said I was here with my small baby.
"I asked where I could go. When the water went down I went to my friend's house, nobody helped me.
"At 6am the electricity went off and came back on after 6pm.
"Last time I had to pay £260 for a push chair. It's such a crazy situation.
"It's like we're living like animals, it's not normal. It doesn't look like a house. Animals live better than this."
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South Staffs Water revealed yesterday that it would be replacing the 300-metre long main in Park Lane West.
The work is set to take between six and eight weeks.
Today Pete Aspley, wholesale director at South Staffs Water, confirmed the burst was a separate burst to last time.
WATCH the South Staffs Water update:
He said: "We have today been able to get a first look at the burst area and we believe the burst is a separate burst to the one that we experienced last year.
"At the moment we're limited to how close we can get because of the structural issues.
"We've commenced today with the replacement of the whole 300-metres, so our teams are working at both ends of that."
Water crept up the driveway and garden of Majida Parveen, leaving mud behind, but luckily the water did not enter the house.
She said: "It's horrible. The garden was all muddy, it's a mess.
"I was in shock when I saw it.
"Everything in the garden is ruined.
"This was worse than last time, it was very dirty water.
"I don't know what to say, it's such a nightmare.
"I've been told the garden will be cleaned, it was last time.
"Now I've got the fear that it's going to happen again. Something must've not been right."
WATCH: The damage in the aftermath
And the headteacher at Tipton Green Junior School has said he is "devastated" after the school was flooded for the second time in four months after the same water pipe burst.
The school was among four closed yesterday and was the only one still closed today. Years 5 and 6 are due to return to school tomorrow, but it is not yet known when Years 3 and 4 will be able to return, Sandwell Council said.
David Rowe said: “We are absolutely devastated that this has happened again, we have only just got the school repaired from the last water main burst at the same location in October.
“We are putting plans in place to ensure children can return to their education as soon as possible.
"We want to thank parents for their understanding and will be in touch to let them know about arrangements once we have details.”
A home damaged in last October's flood collapsed again due to the force of the water.
