THOSE living in Normandy Crescent face an agonising wait to find out when they will be allowed back home.

With more than 20 homes severely damaged, it could be months before the residents are able to go back, and many of them may have only just got over the first flood in 2007.

MP Andrew Smith and councillors in the area are absolutely right to demand answers from Thames Water.

It’s unforgiveable that this type of situation should occur once, let alone twice in seven years, and seemingly in exactly the same circumstances.

Thames Water has to take responsibility and at the very least establish exactly why this has been allowed to happen.

Once it does that, it has to be transparent and honest with those affected.

Yesterday, the company at least acknowledged how “horrendous” the situation was and said it was doing “all it can” to put it right, but it refused to answer a number of key questions, not least what is being done to make sure it doesn’t happen again. The latter is key and those living there must be assured that they will not see a repeat of yesterday’s chaos.

So as the clean-up continues, let’s hope that the residents get all the help they need but, most of all, the promise it will be the second and last time.