Almost 350 homes without gas as water main bursts

Gas supplies have been affected after a water main burst on Wednesday morning

Almost 350 homes are without gas after a water main burst and caused water to enter the network.

Gas supplier SGN said 15 streets in the HP21 postcode area of Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, were affected after the incident on Wednesday.

The company said engineers were on site and may have to visit homes to manually turn off the gas at the meter, and then turn it back on once the issue was resolved.

It said customers could be without gas over the weekend and that portable electric appliances would be made available for cooking and heating for the elderly, for those with very young children or those with special needs.

The company confirmed 346 properties were "off supply" and said: "For safety reasons, we are in the process of turning off gas supplies, with 283 switched off so far."

SGN has also opened a customer service hub at Hawkslade Community Centre in Barley Crescent, where it said advice would be available and electric hotplates and heaters would be handed out to "vulnerable customers".

The company said on its website: "It is very important that if your gas has been turned off that you do not try to use gas while our engineers are dealing with this emergency.

"For security reasons, you should always ask to see the identification card of anyone calling at your home. All our engineers carry a laminated identity card."

SGN apologised to customers and added: "While we are working to restore supplies as soon as possible, it is still too early to say how long this will take, and there is potential for customers to remain off supply into the weekend."

The homes affected are in the following streets:

• Ashbourne End

• Bedwyn Walk

• Birch Court

• Churchill Avenue

• Cottesloe Road

• Dane Court

• Glaven Road

• Grenville Green

• Grenville Road

• Helford Close

• Seaton Drive

• Taylor Road

• Torridge Road

• Verney Walk

• Windrush Court