Busy route closed as burst water main damages road

Part of a busy route through Bournemouth has been closed after a burst water main lifted the road.

Wimborne Road in Kinson is shut between Northbourne Roundabout and The Broadway after the burst trunk main made the ground uneven and soft underfoot.

Bournemouth Water said it was working on emergency repairs but some customers might experience low water pressure or loss of supply.

Dorset Police said the damage meant the road would likely remain closed for some time.

The force's roads policing unit, which had been managing the overnight road closure, said in a Facebook post: "A significant underground water leak has caused the road surface and pavements to raise, making them soft and unsafe underfoot.

"Because the carriageway surface has risen so drastically, it is highly likely a whole section of the road will need to be completely rebuilt to safely reduce the risk and possibility of sinkholes."

The force said the road was also closed between Avebury Avenue and Pinewood Avenue.

Trunk mains are large, high-capacity pipes that move large volumes of water across the network.

A Bournemouth Water spokesperson said: "Our teams are on site to facilitate a repair as quickly as possible, and we will continue to keep customers updated."

In an update on its website at 10:15 BST, the company said: "Due to a burst main on our network, some customers in the Bournemouth area may experience lower water pressure than usual or a loss of supply while we undertake emergency repairs in the area.

"Supplies should be restored in the next three to four hours."