Water restrictions for thousands of households around Seahouses and Belford

The disruption follows the discovery on Sunday that one of the pumps at a pumping station at Bolton had failed after running dry - which was later found to be because of cracks in a 12 inch water main in the Hulne Park area of Alnwick.

Reservoirs and pipes in parts of the county ran dry.

Households at places like Seahouses, Belford, Bamburgh, Beadnell and Powburn, were left with discoloured water, reduced pressure or no water at all as a result.

Once the notice was issued, the company distributed static water tanks to affected areas, urging people to boil water from them before use.

It also put water bottle collection points at Powburn, Seahouses and, later, Belford.

Repairs to the pipe were actually completed by Monday lunchtime.

Work has since been carried out to restore full supply and by last night only a few hundred homes in the Belford area had no water.

Static tanks and bottle collection points were yesterday being closed or relocated as necessary. The water board was expecting the system to be fully operational by last night. But the boil notices must remain in place until water has been tested and come back clear twice, 12 hours apart.

A water board spokesman said last night: "The boil notice will probably remain until Thursday morning. We will try and lift it progressively. People should wait until they get a card delivered which will confirm their supply has now passed the tests and been passed safe to drink."

At Seahouses, there was a steady flow of villagers to the bottled water collection point at the Seafield car park yesterday lunchtime.

People in the village had received the boil notices on Monday night but reported their supply appeared to be unaffected.

Nevertheless, they were sticking to advice not to use tap water without boiling it.

Elsie Baxter, 77, of South Lane, North Sunderland, said: "I did ring up the water board this morning because the notices we had got had big crosses against some things.

"They told me you cannot do washing, there might be discolouration which might effect the washing.

"I just boiled it and made my tea as usual.

"I just came down to get some because I do not know how long before they will get it right again.

"It would be better these things did not happen but so far I can't say I have been in a frenzy ."

Geoff Stewart, who is chairman of North Sunderland Parish Council and lives at Craster Square, said: "There would have been a catastrophe if they had not had bottles of water."

Joyce Nelson, of Stone Close, added: "It is very annoying, especially when you have got to boil your water to put in your veg, potatoes and that."