Homes evacuated after water main bursts in Hedge End

A burst main unleashed a "river" in Hedge End this morning, flooding 17 houses and leaving 70,000 without water.

One elderly woman was rescued through her window by firefighters and at least three households are being relocated.

The burst 24-inch pipe in Stanier Way split the pavement in two at around 10.30am and submerged nearby streets in up to four feet of dirty water.

Reg Sherwood, 77, is being rehoused by Eastleigh Borough Council after his home in Old Shamblehurst Lane was hit.

"It came down here so quickly that you really couldn't do anything about it," he said. "There's a foot of water all the way through the house. I tried to fend it off as I put towels down and things, but it just overran it.

"If it had been half an hour earlier I would probably have still been in bed."

The retired shipyard worker added: "I'm not happy about it, but I suppose when a mains breaks you can't do much about it."

Homes in Mallard Gardens and Old Shamblehurst Lane were worst affected.

Firefighters from Hightown, Fareham, Romsey and St Mary's attended with police and Southern Water technicians.

St Mary's station commander Nigel Cooper said: "It was like a flowing river when we arrived. In some of the affected areas it was around three or four feet of water.

"We can only suspect there's sewage."

Sheila Jennings, 76, told how water rose through her floorboards and flooded her ground floor and garden.

"Each room I went to it came in through the floor," she said. "It came up through her floorboards and covered everything.

"I was here all on my own."

Southern Water leak technician Mario Tranquille said: "This is a major one. The average pipe in the street is four inches - when a 24 inch one goes, that's big."

Water was restored to the Southampton area by 3pm.

A Southern Water spokesman said: “We’re so sorry to those affected by the burst in Stanier Way today. Water is now restored and we are fixing the pipe and clearing up.”