AN ANDOVER grandmother has thanked the Andover Advertiser after a burst pipe, which leaked hundreds of litres of water a day into her home, was finally fixed.

Sheena Bevan, of Adelaide Road, was forced to pump around 150 litres of water a day from her home for nearly 12 weeks after a pipe burst early August.

The 57-year-old claimed the people responsible were failing to help her.

As previously reported, four houses behind Ms Bevan’s house used to belong to housing company, Aster, three of which are now privately owned.

Eventually Aster admitted to owning the pathway where the pipe lies to Ms Bevan.

Ms Bevan said Southern Water told her that as the pipe was privately owned, they could not act further.

Her terminally-ill brother, who lived with Ms Bevan, had to move back to Scotland as a result of the flooding issue.

After reading the Advertiser article, Hampshire County Councillor Tim Rolt stepped in to act.

The Andover North councillor organised a meeting between the residents of the three properties, Aster, Southern Water and Test Valley borough councillor John Cockaday to finally fix the problem.

Cllr Rolt said: “I’m very, very pleased, years ago I had a water leak on my own land and it was far enough away that my house wasn’t affected.

“I have been through it and it wasn’t a pleasant feeling.

“I had to do something.”

It took Southern Water less than an hour to fix the leak on the morning of Wednesday, October 19.

He added: “It was a pleasure to do it.”

Ms Bevan said: “Southern water fixed the leak, took less than an hour.

“I am enjoying the freedom that a dry house is giving me.

“I am so happy that Southern Water took responsibility but angry and frustrated that it took so long, and still Aster has taken no responsibility even though the pipe was under a footpath that they are responsible for.”

A spokesperson for Southern Water said: “We’re pleased this has been resolved.”

A spokesperson for Aster Group said: “The maintenance of the water pipe is not the sole responsibility of Aster; Aster has joint responsibility with three other owners.

“We worked hard to progress a resolution, however the repair was only possible when all parties jointly liable for the repair were in receipt of a waste water notice from Southern Water.

“This has now been received and the repair has been completed.”