Man repeatedly fixes road damaged by burst pipes

A 71-year-old man says he has repeatedly repaired a track leading to his home after damage caused by burst water pipes.

James Ovel says visitors and delivery vehicles are cut off from his home in Purleigh, near Maldon, when the old pipes regularly crack.

He says he has tried to reinstate the passageway five times in 12 months, adding: "To say it's inconvenient is an understatement."

Essex and Suffolk Water apologised to Ovel and said it would spend £750,000 on a scheme to "renew" the water mains in the area.

Ovel, like other residents in Essex, has been under a hosepipe ban enforced by Essex and Suffolk Water.

"Probably as much water has gone down this ditch in the last 24 hours as I've used in 12 months," he said.

An Essex and Suffolk Water spokesperson said: "We're very sorry about the issues Mr Ovel has experienced and would be happy to speak to him directly to better understand his concerns and how we can put things right.

"We recognise there have been a number of bursts in Purleigh over the last year and appreciate how frustrating these can be for customers."

They said its £750,000 investment formed part of a wider multi-million-pound programme for the Maldon district, and that it would speak "to residents as plans progress".

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