ABOUT 60 homes in North Oxford were without water for an hour after a water main pipe burst at around 4.15pm today.

The properties in Navigation Way and Leckford Road soon had their water supply restored as a Thames Water engineer repaired the four inch pipe by 5.15pm.

The cold snap has doubled the number of burst water pipes across London and the Thames Valley and the firm now has around 400 leaks waiting to be fixed rather than its winter average of 200.

The firm is urging any customers who suspect a broken pipe to call their 24-hour leakline on freephone 0800 714 614.