Mum’s car stalls after filling it up... with water (From Echo)
Get involved: send your pictures, video, news and views by texting ECHONEWS to 80360, or email us »
Mum’s car stalls after filling it up... with water
1:00pm Tuesday 9th March 2010 in
A MUM narrowly escaped disaster when her car stalled on the A130 at Rawreth because the fuel from the petrol station had been contaminated with water.
Vicky Purkis had just dropped her 13-year-old daughter Emily at school when she stopped to put £10 of petrol into her Renault Laguna at the Grange Petrol Station in London Road, Rayleigh.
But as she travelled with her other children, Alex eight, Sophie five and two-year-old Meah, the car suddenly spluttered to a halt.
Mrs Purkis, 36, said: “I was taking two of my children to school when the car started to die on me. Luckily I was near a layby and managed to crawl to a halt there.
“A couple of seconds later I would have been driving in the fast lane and I dread to think what might have happened.
“I called the RAC and the patrolman who came said there had been lots of other calls about the same thing. He tested the contents of my petrol tank and said it was just water. Basically I had filled up with £10 of water. I had to call my husband to come and get the children. It was awful and freezing cold.”
The repair bill came to £160 to drain and clean the fuel tank.
Mrs Purkis, of Trenders Avenue, Rayleigh, added: “The garage says it will refund the cost, but there has been no mention of compensation or even an apology for all the inconvenience. I think it’s disgraceful.”
It has emerged at least seven other motorists have suffered the same problem.
Vicki Burn, spokeswoman for the RAC, said: “There were at least eight incidents, not all dealt with by us, but local contractors and other breakdown organisations.
“The garage should have double-checked the tank. I believe the water table is high at the moment so that might be a contributary factor.”
Despite repeated attempts to let the garage give its explanation, no one was available to comment.
Comments(15)
Maureen999
says...
2:46pm Tue 9 Mar 10
Luther101 wrote:Every year we get water shortage this, hope pipe ban that and now this clown Luther comes along saying we should use water instead of petrol!!!
Why oh Why, In this day and age, can we not invent a car that runs on water? It would certainly have solved Vykie Purkis' problem......
Luther101
says...
2:50pm Tue 9 Mar 10
Maureen999
says...
2:53pm Tue 9 Mar 10
Luther101
says...
2:56pm Tue 9 Mar 10
andy:)
says...
5:08pm Tue 9 Mar 10
Maureen999 wrote:http://waterpoweredc
Luther, but what if the water ran out...what then???? I am sorry but I won't be looking up at your blue sky or running anything up your flag pole and certainly giving your cretinous ideas any further thought.
ar.com/
Trainman
says...
5:16pm Tue 9 Mar 10
VillagerNo6
says...
5:22pm Tue 9 Mar 10
Compensation for what? The garage has said it's going to pay the repair bill.
Luther101, a very good idea but doomed to failure I'm afraid. I invented an engine that would run on urine but everyone said I was taking the...
My mum always told me not to pick low hanging fruit as it's leg cocking height for all manner of animals but training monkey butlers sounds viable, it'll cost peanuts.
girliegirl
says...
7:12pm Tue 9 Mar 10
Felix Billy
says...
10:01pm Tue 9 Mar 10
Mark D
says...
11:47pm Tue 9 Mar 10
Luther101 wrote:"Blue sky thinking". Oh dear, what an awful phrase. Is your real name David Brent?
There will always be water Maureen, always be water. Its about time you woke up and smelt the coffee, its time for the blue sky thinking that our forefathers never had. I was simply running the idea up the flagpole to see who saluted it, its worthy of some further thought.
Jose El Mezclador
says...
8:55am Wed 10 Mar 10
Maureen999 wrote:Water is made of hydrogen and oxygen
Luther, but what if the water ran out...what then???? I am sorry but I won't be looking up at your blue sky or running anything up your flag pole and certainly giving your cretinous ideas any further thought.
Hydrogen is combustible and oxygen supports combustion
When hydrogen burns supported by oxygen the only by-product is water
So water as a fuel is worth a try and I’m sure scientists somewhere have been working on it for years
Jose is the man
essexboi1989
says...
9:37am Wed 10 Mar 10
Luther101
says...
12:35pm Wed 10 Mar 10
Jose El Mezclador wrote:So...what you're saying is that if you burn water you get left with water?
Maureen999 wrote: Luther, but what if the water ran out...what then???? I am sorry but I won't be looking up at your blue sky or running anything up your flag pole and certainly giving your cretinous ideas any further thought.Water is made of hydrogen and oxygen Hydrogen is combustible and oxygen supports combustion When hydrogen burns supported by oxygen the only by-product is water So water as a fuel is worth a try and I’m sure scientists somewhere have been working on it for years Jose is the man
No way Jose
'V'
says...
12:55pm Wed 10 Mar 10
Luther101 wrote:'that our forefathers never had…'
There will always be water Maureen, always be water. Its about time you woke up and smelt the coffee, its time for the blue sky thinking that our forefathers never had. I was simply running the idea up the flagpole to see who saluted it, its worthy of some further thought.
You never heard of steam engines then Luther? Or watermills, or hydro-electric..?
More Local News stories
- Bronze, silver and gold trees being planted in Castle Point to celebrate olympics
- Robbery accused to appear in court
- Coryton oil refinery future secured for three months
- £250m plans for Craylands approved
- Children's entertainment at community day
- Danny’s future looking bright after game show
- Man, 26, arrested in taxi stabbing case
- UPDATED: Police hunt double arsonist
- Homeless man saved from burning building in Southend
- Only 5 years in jail? Is that all for killing my little boy
Unhappy after putting watered down fuel in their car – Vykie Purkis with children Meah, Sophie and Alex
Most popular
Local Information
Enter your postcode, town or place name
Luther101 says...
2:19pm Tue 9 Mar 10