ENGINEERS are still working to repair the damage caused when a major water main supplying thousands of Hampshire homes burst pouring 6m litres down the drain.

Tens of thousands of homes across Southampton and Eastleigh were without water or suffered reduced pressure for nearly four hours on Saturday.

Wide Lane in Swaythling, Southampton, turned into a 4ft deep lake underneath the M27 after the main ruptured at about 10am. The road is set to remain closed, with diversions in place, for the rest of the week as engineers work to repair a massive hole in the tarmac.

Southern Water spokesman Neil Duncanson said: "The crews did a really, really good job getting the water back on. We've got crews out looking at a repair to the road but it's a major hole and therefore it's going to take a week or so to repair."