Burst water pipe in Downshire Hill floods homes and cuts off power

Several homes were left without electricity on Tuesday after a 7-inch water pipe burst in Downshire Hill.

Keats Grove resident Nigel Steward heard a "thunderstorm" of water flooding into his and his wife Mary's home just after midnight.

He left the house to find a burst water main in Downshire Hill near Hampstead Hill Mansions, with water gushing out.

Mr Steward said: "It sounded like there was a thunderstorm outside, like there was a major storm in the road."

Thames Water arrived before 3am and worked on the broken pipe until 7.30am. Commuters emerging from their homes in South End Road saw torrents of water outside shops near Hampstead Heath Overground station, which had run down the hill before settling there.

This afternoon there was still up to three inches of water in some homes in Downshire Hill and Keats Grove. Keats Community Library and Keats House has not been affected.

Mr Steward added: "It's not an uncommon problem in Hampstead when you get to the winter. Thames Water have been excellent and we're just trying to get the water out now so the electricity can come back on."

A Thames Water spokesperson said: "Engineers were called to Downshire Hill early this morning after a burst on a seven-inch diameter pipe.

"They were able to complete the repair later in the morning and all properties are now back in supply."