HOMES in a Blackburn street were flooded today after a water pipe burst.

Around eight homes in Lime Street, Shear Brow, had water gush into them and the road was also flooded following the burst at the junction with Bold Street.

Meanwhile, Lime Street had to be cordoned off because part of the road became loose after the incident at around 4.30pm.

But residents said they were told no one from United Utilities could pump the water from their properties until today, meaning they were forced to spend last night in flood-hit homes. Homeowner Vali Patel, 55, who lives with his wife, three children and grandchildren, said: “There’s about four feet of water in my cellar and there’s water in my living room and kitchen too.

“It has all come flowing in from the street into the houses.

“We have had a visit from United Utilities to look at the burst but they have said we won’t get anyone to pump out the water until tomorrow.

“As far as service goes, I would give them one out of 10. I am very angry.”

Mr Patel said Lime Street residents had suffered around nine months ago with a similar leak, which caused £30,000 worth of damage to his home.

He said bosses had then blamed the leak on an overflow of water from Corporation Park.

Another Lime Street resident, Mohamed Vali, 24, said: “My cellar is completely full of water and my kitchen is full of dirt now.

“It is really terrible. The whole thing has caused so much damage.”

United Utilities said engineers had been dispatched to the fault, which had not caused any loss of supply.

A spokeswoman said she was “extremely sorry” to the residents affected.