WALTHAM FOREST NEWS -GUARDIAN & GAZETTE SERIES, AUGUST 14, 1997
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EVERYONE feeling hot, hot, hot at the weekend had the chance to cool down at the Costa del Bakers Arms -thanks to a burst water main. Families, shoppers and passers-by made sure life was a beach by kicking off their shoes and socks and splashing and frolicking through the gushing streams of water.
The floods which occurred on Sunday from a burst water main at the Bakers Arms junction with Lea Bridge Road provided people with the perfect chance to cool off in the sizzling heat. The leak started when a Thames Water contractor carrying out maintenance work on a sewer inadvertently holed a 24-inch water main at about 4pm on Sunday.
That afternoon and evening water company workers could only watch helplessly as water bubbled up from the broken main and gushed down Lea Bridge Road as far as the railway bridge.
While many enjoyed the chance for a splash, motorists got hot under the collar as the traffic lights at the Bakers Arms junction failed and police implemented road diversions.
Lea Bridge Road was completely closed between the junction and Bickley Road, and for westbound traffic as far as Leyton Green Road, while cars backed up along Hoe Street and Leyton High Road.
To stem the flood Thames Water tried to shut down the water main, but this was delayed as workers had trouble finding the valve. The leak was finally controlled early on Monday morning.
A spokeswoman for Thames Water said it would be assessing costs of any flood damage.
As temperatures continued to soar throughout the week in the borough, it meant good business for some. Supervisor at Iceland frozen food store, Walthamstow High Street Zareen Chaudray said: "We have nearly sold out of all lollies, .ice-cream "tubs and cones in the last week because of the hot weather."
Manager of P J Electrics, in Hoe Street, Walthamstow, Philip Cox, revealed that he had sold more than 170 electric fans over the weekend and added: "People were literally queuing up on Monday to buy fans."
Leyton Leisure Lagoon's operations manager, Claudette Smith, said: "We have definitely had a surge in the amount of people using the pool. Sunday was our busiest day of the year with over 300 more people of all ages coming in."
WATER DISASTER
TRAFFIC chaos engulfed Waltham Forest's roads when a giant water pipe burst and flooded one of the borough's main arterial routes, costing families and businesses thousands of pounds in repair bills. Four-and-a-half foot deep water forced police to close a one-and-a-half mile stretch of Lea Bridge Road, between Chatsworth and Church Road, for about six hours from around noon on Thursday, September 17, causing chaos to commuting traffic in and out of London.
At least two houses and two cars suffered flood damage, as did a pedestrian crossing and some street lights. Among the businesses affected was Lee Valley Ice Centre, which lost revenue when it had to close at 7pm, four-and-a-half hours earlier than usual.
This was because only about 60 of the 500 people expected for a special event on its ice rink made it through the traffic jams. Interior Although the building suffered no lasting damage, two inches of water flooded the rink when an interior pipe burst. Manager Mike Smith believes this was caused by water flushed back into the building when the main was repaired.
"The traffic had stopped and water was piling up everywhere," Mr Smith said. He remembered the same main bursting about five years ago.
"People don't usually talk to the person in the neighbouring car but a lot of drivers were talking to each other.
"It was just like war time esprit de corps."
Gordon Bentley, of East London Chamber of Commerce, which represents many Lea Bridge Road traders, said businesses affected would suffer cash-flow problems.
A police spokesman said: "It caused absolute chaos."
A Thames Water spokeswoman said the cause of the burst was not yet known.
Jonathan Brind