SEVERAL homes were saved from flooding after a water main burst in a Basildon street.

Water gushed out of the main in The Upway, leaving residents facing a torrent of water heading for their homes.

But quick-thinking firefighters saved the day by digging a hole and building a dam to stop the water flooding peoples homes.

A crew, from Grays, were called to the scene to help because Basildon colleagues were dealing with a fire at New Holland tractor plant, jn Basildon.

Subofficer Dave Purkiss said: “When we arrived the water main had burst and was running down an incline and was about to affect six or seven properties.

“It was just about to get into the houses, so we dug a hole in one of the front gardens to collect the water so we could pump it out.

“We pumped it to an open manhole and then built a dam to divert the water before the water company arrived to turn it off.”

A second fire crew were put on standby to help with the pumping effort just in case the pump failed, but the Grays crew successfully completed its operation within an hour.

Mr Purkiss added: “The water was really rushing down, so we got there and started work at just the right time really.”