London's North Circular drivers rescued as water floods route

Eight drivers had to be rescued after becoming stuck in half a metre of water on the North Circular

Motorists had to be rescued from their cars after a burst water main flooded a major road in north-west London.

Eight drivers were helped to safety by firefighters after becoming trapped in half a metre of water on the North Circular road near Brent Cross.

No injuries have been reported, London Fire Brigade (LFB) said, but the road remains closed westbound.

Some homes around Golders Green, Hendon and Finchley were left without water on Monday afternoon, Thames Water said.

"We're sorry to anyone who has been disrupted," a spokesman said.

"We know this has happened at an especially difficult time and understand the concerns our customers may have.

"Our specialist engineers are on their way to investigate the problem, and they will be doing everything they can to resolve the issue as quickly as possible."

London Fire Brigade said the rescue took almost two hours to complete

LFB sent four fire engines and about 25 firefighters to tackle the flooding, which began at about 15:30 BST on Monday.

The rescue took almost two hours, a spokesperson for LFB said.

Barry Gardiner, Labour MP for Brent North, shared footage that appeared to show a number of cars stranded in the floodwater.

He tweeted: "To all my constituents travelling home this evening intending to use the North Circular. Please be aware of the flooding at the Brent Cross intersection."

The North Circular, the A406, has reopened eastbound at the A41. However, its westbound lane remains closed.

Councillor Anne Clarke said it was expected to be closed for a week.