Badgers to blame for burst pipe which left Bradfield without water

A burst water main in Bradfield, near North Walsham, left some households temporarily off water last month.

Anglian Water has now said a clan of badgers which had dug their sett around the water main caused the pipe to burst. 

READ MORE: Bradfield badgers burst pipe leaving village without water

Badgers were to blame for a burst pipe which left a Norfolk village without water (Image: NQ)

An Anglian Water spokesperson said: "The burst main has now been repaired.

"It was caused by the badgers digging their sett around the main which caused the pipe to drop due to the ground movement caused by the badgers digging.

"To complete the repair teams had to clear brambles in the area and dig down to expose the pipe.

"During this repair process, an expert from Natural England was present to ensure the wellbeing of the badgers, and it’s been reported that no badgers were seen and that it could be an abandoned part of the sett."

Anglian Water repaired the burst water main at Common Road, Bradfield, on January 24 (Image: Adam Barker)

Badgers and their setts, which are the tunnels and chambers they live in, are protected by the Protection of Badgers Act 1992.