London homes without water on Christmas Day after pump breakdown Published duration 25 December 2016

image copyright Thinkstock image caption Thames Water said the loss of supply was because of a problem with one of its pumps at Hampton

Thousands of households in south-west and west London were without water for several hours on Christmas Day after a problem with a pump.

Thames Water apologised to customers in the TW and W postcode areas who were affected by the problem with one of its pumps at Hampton.

The firm said engineers had restarted the pumps but water pressure was "still rebuilding".

There have also been water problems in the north-west of England.

In Stockport, Greater Manchester, a leak on Derby Way at the junction of Derby Street has left United Utilities customers in the SK6 postcode area with no water or poor pressure.

The company said its engineers were still on the site and it was taking longer than expected to complete the repairs.

In Bolton the burst water main on Baysdale Avenue has been fixed.

Juan Xu, who lives in Twickenham, told the BBC she and her husband thought nothing at first of there being no water in their house, as they imagined the problem would be resolved shortly.

But when they went to a nearby petrol station to buy charcoal for a planned family barbecue, they found long queues for bottled water and realised the scale of the problem might be greater than they first thought.

"I can't believe this is happening in London," she said.

"We have 10 people coming for a barbecue and now it looks like they won't be able to stay.

"We're probably going to go to book into a hotel now."

Residents have taken to Twitter to express dismay at the water problems.

image copyright @EmmaJLing

image copyright @EmmaPound TV

image copyright @R1200GSAPilot

Emma Ling said: "There is no running water in Twickenham on Christmas Day, can't cook Christmas dinner. Merry Christmas to you all. Bah humbug."

Emma Pound wrote: "Christmas Day and we have no NO WATER! @thameswater please hurry and get the TW area back in action."

John Soones said: "No water in the bathrooms and only a dribble upstairs. I'm sorry for the poor people working on Christmas Day to put this right."