THERE is an old saying – perhaps a little ironic in this case – that when you’re in a hole you should stop digging.

Thames Water, it seems, has yet to grasp that old PR chestnut.

Yesterday it invited residents whose homes have been devastated by the broken water main in Normandy Crescent to St Francis Primary for what it termed was a drop-in session.

Unfortunately it seemed naively not to recognise that dozens of residents – whose lives have been turned upside down – would come looking for answers.

The Thames Water staff on the ground were clearly unprepared and all that was achieved yesterday was further alienating people who were asking quite reasonable questions.

However the company defends itself or says there was a misunderstanding, it badly mishandled the event and perpetuated in the minds of some that it is not doing enough.

Normandy Crescent has been flooded before because of a broken water main and two of the key points for residents were why has there been a repeat and can the company, within reason, give assurances it won’t happen again.

Yet not an ounce of information was forthcoming.

People have also complained that, a week on from the flood, they still have not seen any Thames Water personnel at their properties to begin the process of putting their homes back in good order.

It’s just not good enough.

This flood was caused by Thames Water’s equipment failing.

As well as any financial liability, it has a moral obligation to go above and beyond what managers in their gleaming riverside HQ in Reading think is right and show the people here in Oxford they actually care.