Burst main in Leicester Road, Loughborough, sends water gushing to rooftop height

A burst water main sent water gushing to rooftop height in the centre of Loughborough this morning.

The burst was in Leicester Road, near the junction with Market Place, next to the Post Office.

It is understood traffic was continuing to flow normally through the town with pedestrians using the opposite footpath.

Severn Trent workmen are at the scene of the burst.

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A worker in a shop close to the burst who asked not to be named, said: “It’s gushing as high as the roofs of the surrounding buildings.

“It started trickling out at about 10am. Severn Trent have been there all morning. They put a metal plate on top of it with a digger on top, but they had to take it off because the pressure was too great.

“All the buses and the rest of the traffic is still going through, and they’re all getting wet. There’s quite a queue of people outside taking pictures.”

John Stone, landlord of the nearby Phantom pub in Leicester Road, said: “It started bubbling earlier in the morning and then it started shooting up into the sky higher than the buildings.

“The traffic is still flowing and people are walking on the other side of the road to avoid getting wet.”

Ricky Punter, 27, a Leicester Mercury newspaper sales co-ordinator who came across the burst, said: “The water was going higher than the buildings. Traffic was just driving through, it was like going through a waterfall.”

A county council spokesman said: "Severn Trent is dealing with the situation and will put in whatever traffic control systems are needed while their work continues. We've inspected the site and traffic is flowing well at the moment."

A Severn Trent spokeswoman said: “The burst was first reported to us at 10.30am this morning and we went out immediately to investigate and carry out repairs. Fortunately our customers’ water supply wasn’t affected by the burst; however, we have had to stop supply to a small number of customers in the local area while we complete part of the repair. We’re working as quickly as possible to complete the repairs and restore water supply to those customers affected.”