Thousands of gallons of water has gone down the drain in North Abingdon in just two weeks - despite a hosepipe ban and a looming drought order.

Thames Water has come under fire for taking days to fix the leak in Swinburne Road which has spewed out an estimated 100,000 litres a day.

Residents Bill and Pat Davie, who reported the leak on May 10, were so exasperated that they started keeping a diary about it.

Mr Davie, 70, of Swinburne Road, said: "It's a waste of time. How can the water company expect the public to save water when they see water being wasted?"

Mrs Davie, 65, added: "The hosepipe ban has made life difficult yet we see water bubbling up in the pavement and draining away.

"We have been backwards and forwards with Thames Water. We feel as though we are butting our heads against a brick wall."

Elizabeth Bauer, also of Swinburne Road, criticised the company for pushing people to save water while not heeding its own advice. She has bought seven water butts in readiness for the drought.

Mrs Bauer said: "It needs highlighting that people are doing their bit and they are not."

Thames Water spokesman Ross Edwards said engineers visited the site two days after the leak was reported.

But when they returned to fix the problem on Monday a car was parked over the drain, and work was abandoned.

The leak was finally fixed yesterday after the Oxford Mail contacted Thames Water.

Dr Mark Shepherd, of independent environmental advisory group Adas, said leaks cost Thames Water - and customers - money because the water had to be treated twice to make it drinkable.

On Saturday, the Oxford Mail reported that Thames Water opted against imposing a drought order in Oxfordshire.

Farmoor reservoir is 98 per cent full but groundwater supplies, which directly supply a quarter of the county's population, are approaching their lowest ever level.

Since the hosepipe and sprinkler ban was introduced on April 3, 84 people have been reported for breaking the restrictions. Of these, 12 have received second warning letters after continuing to breach the order.

The next stage will be a personal visit from a Thames Water representative and then prosecution.

A drought order bans car washing, the filling of swimming pools and the watering of parks and sports grounds.

The Environment Agency has called on Thames Water, which serves 3.7 million homes in the South East, to apply for a drought order.