A BURST water main is affecting many homes around the Swindon area.

A broken 12-inch pipe is being repaired by Thames Water and causing low water pressure and no water in SN1, SN3, SN4, SN5 and SN38.

UPDATE: Bottles delivered and machine arriving to fix pipe

UPDATE 2: Water pressure returning to normal

A spokesman said: "We’re working hard to restore supplies following a large burst pipe early this morning in East Wichel Way, Swindon.

"We’re really sorry if your pressure is lower than expected while we sort this.

Our engineers, led by Rob, shut the damaged section shortly after 6am to prevent further water loss. As a result, some customers will have seen an improvement in pressure.

"We’re now focusing on boosting pressures to a wider area by bringing in water from other parts of the local supply network.

"The burst pipe, which is a foot wide, is one of the major supplies to the area, so it could take several hours to safely increase water pressure to the homes affected.

"We realise how inconvenient this is and will get your water back on as soon as we can.

"We know this has happened at a difficult time. We’ve answered the most common customer questions about coronavirus, including how we can provide extra help for those who need it most."