WORKMEN are this morning trying to fix the two-foot wide water main which burst in South Hinksey.

The surge of water, which covered half a square mile, left eight homes flooded yesterday.

Residents were evacuated and some were trapped in their homes.

A Thames Water spokesman this morning said: "We are today getting on with fixing the two foot-wide water main, which burst at South Hinksey yesterday morning, having last night set up a temporary access road around our work site so people can drive in and out of the village.

"The job of removing the broken piece of pipe, which is around three metres deep, and installing a new section is likely to take most of the weekend.

"After that rebuilding the road over the mended main is set to take about a week.

"We would like to stress again how very sorry we are to everyone affected by yesterday's incident, particularly to the people in the eight properties we flooded.

"Our priority now is getting their homes and lives back to normal as soon as possible."