CRICKLADE firefighters prevented a house from being badly flooded after a water main burst late last night.

They were called out just after 9pm after a householder spotted water seeping up through the floor of their home in Bath Road.

Firefighters used sandbags and hoses filled with water to create a temporary dam before pumping the flooded area to prevent the puddle of water in the house from growing until water engineers arrived to tackle the leak.

Crew manager Pete Price told the Advertiser: “If we hadn’t been there in a timely manner or if they hadn’t noticed the water coming through the floor when they did and called the fire service, it would have been much worse.”

In a statement Thames Water said: “We’re sorry for the disruption caused by our burst water pipe last night. It’s been repaired and we’ll be supporting those residents whose properties were affected with any claims.”

Relieved Bath Road resident Robert Bloor said: “If they hadn’t have come as quickly as they did, this row would have been flooded. They are a real asset to the community.”

Neighbour Emma Blake arrived home to find the fire crew already pumping water outside her house.

“I did panic a little bit when I saw it that it might have come in, but the fire brigade were really on it. They’re so good.”

Engineers worked until 4am to repair the main.