FOLLOWING a dramatic water main burst in South Ockendon yesterday (Saturday, 20 June) Essex & Suffolk Water has apologised for the problems caused.

A spokesperson for the company said: "Following the burst to a large water pipe in Stifford Road in South Ockendon yesterday which caused flooding to customers' properties and major structural damage to Stifford Road, up to 30 properties have been affected by internal flooding.

"Our focus is to assist and support each customer impacted. We have a recovery team carrying out a clear up operation and assessing the damage of each property and contents.

"We wholeheartedly apologise for the impact this has had on our customers and our team will be available to provide support and assistance to those affected throughout the incident.

"Our operations team are currently working to repair the large water pipe and carry out structural repairs to the road. We expect the road to be closed for a number of days and will advise on timescales once we have more information available.

"We would also like to apologise to residents in the area affected by the road closure and would like to thank customers for their patience and understanding."