THE water supply to several hundred customers was cut off yesterday, when a six-inch pipe split and began to leak as men were working on it.

Houses and businesses were affected by the leak, which happened as a connection was being made to the pipe in Thorngate, Barnard Castle.

Properties around the town centre were worst hit, with cafes and hairdressers fearing they would have to close as taps started drying up soon after 9am.

But repair men managed to isolate the split within half-an-hour, meaning some water was restored, and a full supply was turned on later in the morning.

A spokesman for Northumbrian Water said a connection was being made to the pipe, to create a supply to a new development, when it split.

He said: "A few hundred customers were affected, but the problem was completely sorted out by lunchtime."