A 'passing of the buck' row has begun over who is responsible for a large water leak which has left a garden waterlogged.

On Thursday, the Lancashire Telegraph was informed of a leak on Sandy Lane close to St Anne's School in Accrington, which had been flowing down the road for a couple of days.

Concerned resident, Frank Griggs, said he's contacted both United Utilities and Lancashire County Council, with neither being willing to accept responsibility for the leak.

He said: "There is water pouring out of the road.

"United Utilities say it's not their problem it is the problem of the county council.

"The county council say it is United Utilities. I think there is a burst underground and my lawn is waterlogged and it has never been as wet.

"They need their heads banging together.

"It started a few days since and has gradually got worse. It hasn't affected our water pressure but the channel where the water is coming out from was dug to put a new gas pipe in a few years since.

"United Utilities sent someone out and said it wasn't a leak on their system and said it was surface water and should be dealt with by the county council.

"They said it was due to the heavy rain we have had. It has never done that before and we have had heavier rain."

Lancashire Telegraph:

On Friday afternoon an LCC engineer was sent out to the site and confirmed a leak.

A council spokesperson said: "Our inspectors have been out to Sandy Lane this afternoon (Friday).

"We do not think the water is related to our drains and we have referred the matter to United Utilities."

Upon further investigation by the Lancashire Telegraph, United Utilities were contacted again and said they were sending another engineer out on Friday afternoon.

A spokesperson for United Utilities said: "The engineers are of the opinion that it could be a covered culvert causing the leak.

"They did tests last night and couldn't find any chlorine, which is what you would expect if it was our leak.

"The engineers think it could maybe be a covered culvert that no-one owns.

"Hopefully we'll be able to confirm one way or another soon."

On Sunday, a spokesperson for United Utilities issued this statement: "There was initially some doubt over the source of the water in the roadway, but this has been resolved.

“Repairs to a water main under a small roundabout in Sandy Lane, Accrington, are under way and we apologise to customers for the inconvenience they have experienced.

"Repair work is complicated due to the need to partially demolish the roundabout and the close proximity of two gas mains, plus fibre optic and electrical cables, which we need to work around carefully. Please bear with us.

"Some customers were temporarily without water for a time, but all services are now back to normal.

"The full repair is expected to be completed later today (Sunday) but traffic lights may need to remain in place while we re-instate the roundabout over the next few days.”

By 6pm on Sunday the water main repair was completed.

The reinstatement works on the roundabout are due to take place ASAP over the coming days.