Engineers still battling to restore gas to households

MORE than 100 gas engineers, some drafted in from elsewhere, are still working to try and reconnect gas supplies to the last affected homes in south Devon, an operation complicated by the difficulty in accessing second homes in some areas.

- by STAFF REPORTERS

The gas supply was cut off to more than 4,000 homes and businesses in a large area of the South Hams, from Kingsbridge to Salcombe on Saturday, when a gas main was damaged by people working in a field at Belle Hill, near Kingsbridge.

Engineers from Wales & West Utilities fixed the damaged pipe overnight on Saturday, and since then have had to visit properties twice to ensure any reconnection is safe.

One of the stumbling blocks engineers have faced has been empty second homes and holiday lets in the more desirable parts of the county.

A spokesperson for Wales & West Utilities said on Monday: “We have over 100 engineers - many drafted in from elsewhere across our network - working across the areas to restore supplies as quickly as possible. This afternoon [January 5], we completed the restoration of supplies in Malborough. The only prop-

erties remaining are those where there has been nobody at the property when we have called.