GALLONS of water have flooded a Wisbech road after a main pipe burst this afternoon.

Huge puddles have formed and water is still pumping out of the main, on Weasenham Lane, forcing traffic to slow down in order to pass.

The flood has spread to the car-parks of adjacent businesses, Del Monte and Crown Packaging, with vehicles sitting in several inches of water. One neighbouring factory has been forced to use a side door to provide access to their building.

The incident means more woe for Anglian Water, which is struggling with a sharp rise in burst water mains caused by the freezing conditions.

An Anglian Water spokesman said: “A 12in PVC main has burst. Our team are currently on route and a resurfacing team will be with them. It is an absolute priority to get everything fixed as soon as possible.

“This is the toughest start to a winter Anglian Water has experienced and the extremely low temperatures are causing a sharp rise in the number of burst mains we have to deal with.

“The company has prepared well and has more than doubled the number of technicians and specialist contractors available to deal with bursts. Even so, these teams face extremely difficult conditions and are working around the clock to maintain supplies.

“We would like to thank customers for their understanding and patience as we all try to cope with what is an exceptionally cold December.”