Schoolchildren faced being sent home after high winds sent a lamppost smashing  into a water main cutting off residents.

At just after 10am on Thursday, December 5, police  were called to the A556 Chester Road near  Cuddington after a water main burst sending  water spewing across the road.

Police closed the road between A49 Forest  Road and School Lane in both directions,  while United Utilities worked to stem the  flooding. The road remains closed.

As households faced hours without water,  staff at nearby Cuddington Primary School  prepared to send home children after their  water was cut-off following the incident.

But the water came back on before they were forced to close the school.

“We had been at the point of making the  decision to close the school, but in the past few  minutes the water has come back on,” said  administration officer Danielle Clarke.

“Two of our teachers walked up to the road.  They said it was like the Waters of Babylon. I  believe it is something to do with a lamp post  which had be blown down by the wind.”

Police, tweeting live from the scene of the  incident, described clearing the mud and  water from the road.  The road is now open.