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Residents 'gobsmacked' over four-month water leak

Amy CarrEast Yorkshire and Lincolnshire
BBC Mark Kelby - a man with thin grey hair and tinted glasses - looks straight at the camera. He is wearing a blue T-shirt and is standing in front of an area of hedge and trees. BBC
Mark Kelby says he was "gobsmacked" when he was told the leak might not be fixed until November

Residents say they are "gobsmacked" after being told a long-running water leak may not be fixed until November.

They say the leak in Bourne, Lincolnshire, has led to water running at a "consistent" flow across a footpath by the A151 into a woodland for at least four months.

It has been reported by a number of local residents who have received different dates from Anglian Water for when it will be repaired.

Anglian Water said it prioritised leaks that "have the greatest impact on customers' water supplies" and result in the "highest water loss".

A footpath into a wooded area is covered over with water. In the distance, dry grass can be seen but, around the water running over the path, the grass and other plants are bright green. There is also algae on the path.
The plants around the leak are lush despite the current drought

Mark Kelby lives in Bourne and said he had been aware of the leak for at least four months since he started walking through the woods.

He said the water had sometimes been so high it had come over the top of his walking boots.

Kelby said he was "gobsmacked" when he contacted Anglian water about the leak and was told it would not be fixed until November as the work needed to be done at night and the road may have to be closed.

"We're all under a hosepipe ban at the moment, we've got water shortages, and yet we're letting thousands of litres of water run away quite happily," he said.

Sue Wooley - a woman with bobbed hair - is pointing to a stream of water on the ground. She is wearing leopard print wellington boots, pink jeans, a white shirt and a yellow high-vis jacket. The water on the ground is underneath her feet and is leaving mud on the path.
Councillor Sue Wooley says everyone is doing their bit but Anglian Water "don't seem to give a damn"

Sue Wooley, a Lincolnshire county councillor for Bourne North & Morton, said the "annoying thing" was that Anglian Water knew about the problem.

She said it was "unnecessary" and "unpleasant" for people to have to walk through the water as they entered the woods, especially as black sludge was building up there.

Wooley said residents had been given different dates on when the leak would be fixed, ranging from Wednesday 19 August to November.

"We're all trying to do our best by being very careful and conserving water, and Anglian Water don't seem to give a damn," she said.

The A151 - a road with high hedgerows on either side. A blue van is driving towards the camera and there is a road sign warning of an upcoming junction. The grass is dry and yellow except for a patch on the verge where water can be seen running along the path and away into woodland on the left.
The leak appears to be coming from under the verge at the side of the A151

The BBC has asked Anglian Water for clarification on when the leak would be fixed.

The company said it had 245 people focused on finding and fixing leaks.

A spokesperson said: "Teams work around the clock to identify and repair leaks as quickly as possible, prioritising those that have the greatest impact on customers' water supplies and those resulting in the highest water loss."

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