HUNDREDS of homes in Church were left without electricity for more than 18 hours yesterday after a fault on an underground cable.

The power went off around 11.30pm on Saturday and was not fully restored until 6pm yesterday.

Two teams of United Utilities engineers spent the day trying to rectify the problem.

The power was restored for most people by 3pm but there were still homes and businesses without electricity three hours later.

According to residents the power had flickered on and off a number of times during the day.

Betty Shackley, 78, of Blackburn Road, said: "I was watching a film on Channel Five when the lights went out, it was right in the middle of it. Being a pensioner it's a good job I have a gas heater and a gas cooker, otherwise I don't know what I'd have done."

Tony Duckworth, 43, owner of the Washbowl Launderette, on Blackburn Road, said: "We open up on a Sunday and we're very busy, I'm not very happy."