Burst water main soaks Telford drivers and shoppers

Thursday 15th July 2010, 10:15AM BST.

The burst water main on Rampart Way, Telford

Walkers were soaked and drivers blinded after plumes of water reaching heights of 40ft gushed from a burst main in Telford.

The ruptured pipe on Rampart Way caused water to spray above a public footbridge bringing shoppers from Telford Railway Station to the town centre on Wednesday afternoon.

Groups of people were seen huddling under umbrellas or running for cover.

Martin Steward, from Great Hay, in Telford, was one of the drivers whose windscreen was blacked out by the gushing water.

The 53-year-old said drivers had to put on the brakes while passing the leak.

He said: “People were all going across the bridge in groups under umbrellas and running past it so they didn’t get wet.

“Cars were slowing down to see what was going on but the windscreens were getting totally covered and we could not see anything. There were two workmen trying to dig around where the burst pipe was but it appeared they could not stop it.”

Gill Dickinson, from Severn Trent Water, apologised for the disruption.

She said: “We originally had a leak reported to us last Thursday.

“However, it was only when we dug down at the site of the leak earlier yesterday that the badly damaged water main was exposed, resulting in this very visible leak.

“We turned off the water supply feeding the pipe at 2.45pm yesterday afternoon and plan to carry out the necessary repairs.

“We apologise to any motorists or pedestrians who may have been inconvenienced by the water spray.”

1
Dio

July 15, 2010 at 13:25

Quote from article:
He said: “People were all going across the bridge in groups under umbrellas and running past it so they didn’t get wet.

“Cars were slowing down to see what was going on but the windscreens were getting totally covered and we could not see anything. There were two workmen trying to dig around where the burst pipe was but it appeared they could not stop it.

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For and driver who could not see anything, he certainly made a good eyewitness!

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2
tricky dicky

July 15, 2010 at 13:39

I can’t believe it took severn trent a week to get to the leek.

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3
eva land

July 15, 2010 at 17:45

I thought it was St Swithins Day today, not St Davids!

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