Colchester flooding: Neighbours protect woman's home from burst water main

A barrier of carpet wrapped in plastic remains in place at Pam Merrick's home after flood waters breached her threshold

Residents have described how they managed to prevent flooding to a dozen homes after a water main burst.

Anglian Water engineers were called to Colchester, in Essex, on Tuesday evening and have been trying to repair the damage since.

Pam Merrick's neighbours laid compost sacks in her porch preventing it from entering her home after water rose above its threshold.

The water company said the repair work on Forest Road was "complex".

The water flooded into a cul-de-sac in Balfe Court, Colchester

Mrs Merrick, 85, said water began creeping from Forest Road down to her front door on Balfe Court.

"It was so scary. I could see all the water rushing around," she said.

"It would have flooded the downstairs of my house. My neighbours really rallied round for me."

Kimberley Cutter, who also saw the water reach her front step, said: "The road just caved in. It happens every year, normally the burst is at the end of the road.

"It's not very good is it? Obviously there's an issue that needs to be sorted."

The burst water main in Forest Road, Colchester is being repaired

Anglian Water's spokeswoman Nichola Harvey said no homes suffered internal damage and most customers who had supplies stopped had been reconnected.

She said the work on Forest Road was "complex" and engineers were working on it.