FLOODING from a burst water pipe which it is thought cracked in the freezing cold brought a busy road to a standstill.

Both lanes of the Pitsea-bound carriageway in Broadmayne, Basildon, between from the junction with the Fremnells and the Timberlog Lane roundabout, were closed for much of Saturday morning (Jan 9) because of flooding.

The problem was first reported by a passing police officer, shortly after 5am, and Essex and Suffolk Water engineers began digging with heavy machinery into the verge beside the road searching for the burst pipe an hour later.

One of the lanes was opened to traffic by 11am, but water was still pouring out onto the road.

An engineer, who was working at the scene, said: “A big problem has been that the drains are blocked, so there’s nowhere for the water which is being brought up to go.

“We were called here at about 6am and the road had to be closed completely to traffic because there was so much water.”

It is thought a 20 inch thick underground metal pipe cracked through the extreme cold conditions.