UP TO 30 homes near Lymington were left without gas because of problems caused by water seeping into a local main.

Houses in Wainsford Road and Greenmead Avenue, in Everton, had been cut off for seven to eight hours a day since January 1 while engineers tried to solve the problem.

The community has been coping by using electric heaters and buying ready-cooked food.

The local post office even put up a sign saying: "If you've got no gas, get your food here."

Resident Donald Gibbs, 70, said: "It's not a huge problem. We have a fan heater. We just can't cook in the day.

"An engineer calls at the house every day to let us know what's happening."

Now, after a week of digging in Everton's narrow roads, Transco engineers are confident they have solved the problem.

A spokeswoman said: "Only two houses are affected now and we are sure that everything will be back to normal soon.

"Water in the pipes is a difficult problem because you no sooner pump out one section than another pool is discovered.

"It is possible the high water table caused by the recent heavy rain is to blame.

"We had turned off all the properties in these two roads, but now almost all are back on and our engineer will be on site until late, making sure the last two are all right.''