SOME 2,000 homes in the Kingskerswell area were deprived of water at the weekend following a major mains burst.

In the early hours of Sunday (JUNE 25) a 16 inch pipe erupted in the centre of Newton Abbot near Costcutter in Queen Street.

As a result homeowners - some three miles away in Kingskerswell - were left without water.

A spokesman for South West Water said: ‘A strategic trunk main from our Tottiford water treatment works to our key supply reservoir Greathill in Torquay burst at the junction of Queen Street and Lemon Road in Newton Abbot.

‘Teams were actioned to site quickly to undertake the repair and importantly ensure customer supplies were restored.’

He added: ‘The initial areas affected were approximately 2,000 in the Kingskerswell area.

‘Although potentially affected, it is not known at this point how many actually lost their supply.’

From 6.21am until 9.44am - when the water was switched back on - 51 people called the water company complaining of no water.

A further 80 calls were made once the water was up and running again about residents’ water being discoloured.

‘The main has been repaired but we do have some further highway backfill and reinstatement,’ the spokesman said.