Anglian Water have apologised after 51 people were left without water for 11 hours.

A burst water main in Norwich coincided with one on Norwich Road, Poringland, last Tuesday, and turned a routine repair job into a bad day for the service.

Julie Strowger, 51, of Clear View Drive, Poringland, said: 'I saw thousands of gallons of Anglian Water's precious commodity literally going down a drain in the main street. And all while the hose pipe ban was on, how ironic.

'I contacted them several times, only to get a recorded message, each time saying the repair would be fixed three hours later. Finally when I spoke to an actual human being, I was told it would be 'at least 9pm', before it was fixed. I feel like I have been fobbed off.'

Mrs Strowger said she was forced buy a 5ltr bottle of water to last her the day, and showered at the gym she is a member of.

Head of Media for Anglian Water Ciaran Nelson said: 'It was not the finest of days for us, there were a lot of complicating factors.

'There were other utilities in the way, gas lines and cables, and heavy rain caused a few issues.

'Mrs Strowger was one of a small number who went without water for much longer than we would have liked, and we are very sorry for that. The situation was changing all the time, which is why the recorded message updated. People can hang on and speak to a staff member, we are always there to talk.

'We are particularly sorry, we fix 300,000 leaks a year, and it is unfortunate when we encounter one that is more complex.'