Flooding after water pipe bursts

Up to 100 properties were flooded after the water mains burst

Up to 100 properties on Merseyside have been flooded after a large water mains pipe burst.

United Utilities engineers shut off supplies after the incident on Page Moss Avenue, Huyton, near the A57 Liverpool Road, on Monday morning.

The damage was caused by contractors digging up a separate mains pipe, which had burst in the past, as part of a £7m improvement scheme.

United Utilities said an investigation into the incident was under way.

Between 50 and 100 properties and part of the A57 have been flooded. Page Moss Avenue is closed.

Properties in parts of Huyton and Prescot have been affected.

A United Utilities spokesman added: "We can now confirm that the majority of the 25,000 customers affected have had their water supplies restored by re-zoning our network.

Homes 'devastated' by burst mains

"This means bringing in water through other pipes.

"The pipe burst after it was damaged by our contractors, who are presently carrying out a £7m scheme to replace a different water main in the same area which has burst previously.

"Our loss adjusters are visiting those affected by flooding and we are working with Knowsley Council to man a drop-in centre for people."

Beverley Evans arrived for work at McCrelt Thomas solicitors on Liverpool Road just after 0800 BST and discovered the building was flooded.

"I managed to get all the paperwork and everything off the floor that I could move," she told BBC Radio Merseyside.

"There's about two inches of water inside all throughout downstairs so there was nothing more I could do."

The drop-in centre is located at the Gate Community Centre on Princess Drive.

Repairs to the mains is expected to begin later, although United Utilities said it was unclear when the work would be completed.

Properties flooded as pipe bursts