Burst water pipe closes road and cuts off supplies

Lea Brook Methodist Church, has been flooded after the water main burst

A major water main burst has completely flooded a road and buildings and cut off supplies to hundreds of people.

People should avoid Leabrook Road North in Wednesbury, West Midlands, and the surrounding area, emergency services said. Pictures showed emergency workers using boats in the street and people up to their waist in water.

South Staffs Water said the burst was affecting properties in Wednesbury, Bloxwich and Darlaston and thanked people for their patience while they worked to resolve the issue.

Lea Brook Methodist Church said the building and neighbouring houses had been flooded again by a burst water main. There was similar flood six years ago, the church said.

A spokesperson said it did not know the extent of the current damage, although the water was quite high, but the church was shut for almost a year after the previous flood.

They would know more once the water had been pumped out, they added.

"Please hold our church family and all those affected in your prayers," it said on social media.

People living in the area have been filming the efforts to control the burst

Six years ago a digger hit a water main which caused it to burst, the church spokesperson said.

"We’re hoping this time is not going to be as long [to be closed] but until we get inside to have a look at it we really don’t know."

“The water is quite high in the church, but other than that… that’s all they’ve told us.”

The burst pipe has led to a large area of flooding

Emergency services advised motorists to avoid the scene and West Midlands Police said it was assisting with road closures.

South Staffs Water said it was working with the emergency services to disperse the water safely and to restore water supplies to the affected areas. It said the burst had been isolated and engineers were working to fix the problem.

The mains were going to be recharged but residents might find discoloured water as supply returns later, it said.

No timescale has been placed on the repairs and clean-up.

South Staffs Water said it had diverted call handlers from its billing lines to deal with the high volume of calls about the leak.

The roads affected by the closures are:

• Black Country New Road to Steel Roundabout & Park junction

• Leabrook Road at junction of Park Roundabout

• Leabrook Road at junction of Pacific Avenue

• Leabrook Road at junction of Callear Road

• Leabrook Road at junction of Willingsworth Road

• Black Country New Roadd to Great Bridge

The church was shut for a year after a flood six years ealier