Burst Derby water main 'sounded like a bomb'

Video caption, Residents were woken in the middle of the night by the sound of the water main burst (Video courtesy of Helen McGloin)

A water main burst with such force it damaged windows and cars and left homes needing to be evacuated.

The burst in the Chester Green area of Derby sent a plume of water three storeys high, eyewitnesses said.

Some residents have been offered temporary accommodation by the city council.

Sections of Mansfield Road and Alfreton Roads and several surrounding street have been closed while repairs are carried out.

Resident Dawn Mead said she was woken by what sounded like a bomb going off at about 02:00 GMT.

Image caption, Water ran down Mansfield Road causing damage and leading police to close the area to traffic

She said: "My house is a disaster zone... I thought somebody was attacking my house, I couldn't comprehend what was happening.

"My car is wrecked. I looked down my hall and I am not looking forward to going back in."

Image caption, Some houses and cars in the neighbourhood were damaged by water from the burst main

大象传媒 reporter Chris Fawcett said water was almost covering the bonnets of some cars and was gushing out of the ground and up the steps of some houses.

A Severn Trent Water spokesman said some households in the area will have low water pressure or a lack of supply due to the problems.

"Our teams are out on site now and will work around the clock to get this pipe fixed and everything back to normal as quickly as possible," the spokesman said.