PROBLEMS with the water supply returned to a district of Bacup, bringing with it further disruption and inconvenience.

Residents of Lee Road and Flag Street thought their mains had been fixed until a pipe burst and water poured down the road into the River Irwell for two days.

Contractors had been working in the area for two weeks, during which time residents had problems, including one day when they had no water from 9am to 8pm.

Then when the burst occured, householders said it took two days for contractors to return to the site to rectify the problem.

A spokesman for United Utilities said: "We apologise for any inconvience caused to residents.

"The work needed to be done and hopefully residents will have a normal and improved service, once it has been completed.

"Unfortunately problems like this do sometimes develop during the rehab work but the contractors should have finished all the work within the next couple of days."