Homes evacuated after mains burst in Bramcote

About 17,000 homes and businesses near Nottingham were without water for hours after a high-pressure water main burst.

It happened near the junction of Ilkeston Road and Coventry Lane in Bramcote in the early hours of Friday.

Nottinghamshire Police said about 20 homes were evacuated and nine schools in Toton, Bramcote, Stapleford, Wollaton and Chilwell were closed.

Severn Trent said all supplies were restored by about 0500 BST on Saturday.

Permanent repair

A number of homes were flooded when the main burst.

One woman said: "I ran downstairs to see what was happening and there was about three inches of water at the bottom of the stairs.

"I had to climb out of the window to get out or the water would've come through the door."

Efforts to repair the pipe were hampered by adjoining live electric cables, but Central Networks later secured the electricity main.

Water was brought into the affected areas using an alternative network of pipes.

Schools closed

Severn Trent said between 30 and 60 elderly or vulnerable people had flooding in their homes and had been taken to temporary accommodation and supplied with bottled water.

The schools closed on Friday were: Foxwood Foundation School and Technology College, Bramcote; Fairfield Primary, Stapleford; St Johns C of E Primary, Stapleford; William Lilley, Stapleford; Banks Road Infant School, Toton; Albany Junior School, Stapleford; Bispham Drive Junior School, Toton; Fernwood School, Wollaton.

Bramcote C of E Primary was closed to all but reception children, for whom a school trip had been planned.

Road closures were enforced for most of the day in Stapleford.