Temperature drop causes flooding in Upminster

An Upminster garden was left flooded after the sudden drop in temperature last week caused a pipe to burst.

Dennis McEwin, 78, from Howard Road, Upminster, noticed that his back garden had been saturated with five inches of water which has come from a nearby alleyway off his road.

He alerted the council, and Essex Water sent out four vans to solve the issue.

“I was stunned,” said Dennis. “You don’t expect to look out of your window to see your garden full of water. We all wondered where it had come from.

“At first we thought it may have been caused by maintenance works being carried out, but after an investigation, it appeared to be due to a burst water pipe.”

Dennis added: “When Essex Water arrived, it began to recede. I couldn’t get to my shed because of the water, so I hope there won’t be much damage.”

An Essex Water spokesman said: “We have been working with Network Rail and works to resolve the issue should be completed by the end of the day (December 9).

“The more than likely cause is due to the big drop in the temperature which causes a hairline crack to the pipes, triggering a leak.”

Residents warned alleyway users to take care because with the persistent cold weather, it could freeze the water, causing a dangerous hazard for pedestrians as well as children from surrounding schools Hall Mead and Coopers Coburn and Company.

The council said it will look into compensation for those affected by the flooding.