SHOCKED householders have been left devastated after a burst water main sent a wall of water crashing through their homes, turning their street into a waterfall and sweeping their prized possessions away.
The amazing scenes took place in the early hours of Sunday when a 20-inch pipe under Gatton Park Road in Redhill burst, sending gallons of water into the street and through the homes of at least 14 residents in Northmead.
Homeowners tried frantically to keep the water at bay for two hours but could only watch helplessly as it rose higher before sweeping through their living rooms, down their front gardens and towards the green.
"It was 4ft high on our back patio," said Bridgett Callan, whose entire ground floor now has to be gutted. "My back door opened because of the force of the water and it blew the door in – it broke the hinges. We've lost everything. I don't know what to do now."
Northmead neighbour George Lambert added: "It's a nightmare. I decorated this place about six months ago and it's totally and utterly ruined. Let's just say I'm not happy."
According to residents the pipe burst at about 5.20am on Sunday. At first many believed the noise caused by the fast flowing water was heavy wind. Realising with horror what was happening, families rushed outside to wake others and warn them their homes were flooding.
Doug Wales, of Northmead, initially thought the person shouting his home was flooding was drunk. He quickly realised what was happening. "It just came out like a flood down the drive, down the hill and it just kept flowing for about two hours," he said.
"I picked up my drills before they could float off, but a couple of shoes washed about 50 metres away. There were potted plants everywhere, and one of our neighbours had a washing machine that was lifted up, it was quite amazing. All the carpets had to be ripped out and thrown away and the laminated flooring had to come up – but I was one of the lucky ones."
Neighbour Ricky Lambert said when he and his father finally opened the back and front door of his property to try and funnel the water away, his father was swept off his feet and into the garden.
Distraught neighbours are now waiting to find out if they'll be able to claim back the cost of repairs. Some have criticised Sutton and East Surrey Water for, they say, failing to offer any kind of compensation, instead telling them to go to their own insurance company.
Stuart Hyslop, spokesman for Sutton and East Surrey Water which is responsible for the pipe, said the company was working with families to resolve the matter and been on site every day since it burst.
He said: "It's not really an issue between us and them. It's an issue between them and their insurance company."
He added: "It's a strategic main delivering water to a reservoir and consequently when it bursts it comes out under huge pressure."
A clean-up operation is now underway with some homeowners being forced to look for alternative accommodation.
