Thaw causes 130 major water pipe bursts across Devon

Parts of Devon could be affected by pipe bursts for a few days

Engineers are working to repair more than 130 major water bursts across Devon caused by the recent thaw, South West Water says.

The worst-hit areas were Exeter, north Devon and east Devon, with 62 bursts reported in those areas and about 100 customers without water.

The company said it had had to bring in extra staff to cope with the calls for help from customers.

However, it added parts of east Devon could be affected for a few days.

It said the sheer scale of the repair work needed could cause delays.

Calls were being prioritised according to the number of customers affected, the potential amount of water lost and whether a burst was a danger to traffic and public safety, SWW said.