HOMES and businesses in Burnley have been hit by a double water burst.

Leakages had already caused flooding in the Middlesex Avenue area of the town when a 12-inch mains burst at 11pm causing 2,000 properties in the Rosegrove and Wellfield areas to be without water.

Water from other mains pipes was redirected to those properties while repairs were carried out.

"At that time of night most people would be unaware of the problem,'' said a spokesman for North West Water.

But at 6am today pressure caused a valve on the repaired mains to blow, and the same properties were again without water.

Workmen battled to complete repairs and were hoping to complete the work by this afternoon.

The spokesman said: "We have had to re-zone supplies for a second time to properties in the same area and we are taking water tankers out to properties that are still without a supply.''

Traffic had to be diverted in the Middlesex Avenue and Sycamore Avenue areas.

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