Water supply restored in Seahouses & Belford

The company is carrying out sample tests on water and needs two positive test results 12 hours apart. It expects to lift the boil water notices tomorrow.

A spokesperson from Northumbrian Water said: "All of the water has been restored but testing is under way and positive results of tests are required before we can lift the boil water notice.

"Until that time, people should continue to boil their water and we will need to test customers' taps. But people, especially the elderly, should be cautious and check the identity of people calling at their homes to avoid falling prey to bogus callers pretending to be from the water company and just wanting to steal.

"A genuine caller will not mind his or her identity being checked."

Households at places including Seahouses, Belford, Bamburgh, Beadnell and Powburn , were all affected.

The company distributed static water tanks to the areas, urging people to boil water from them before use.

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

Repairs to the pipe were actually completed by Monday lunchtime, but reservoirs and pipes in parts of the county ran dry as a result.

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.

For more information, or to find out where water tanks have been set up, contact Northumbrian Water's Customer Centre on 0845 717 1100, or visit www.nwl.co.uk.