Residents are calling on Thames Water to fix an old water main after it burst for the sixth time in nine years.

The Turnpike Hill Trust Estate, off Lebanon Road, has suffered a series of mini floods over the past decade, with the latest occurring early this morning.

Thames Water are repairing the latest problem but residents will be without water for a few hours.

David Evans, 71, a trustee of the estate, said he was up at 3.30am to help deal with the leak.

“We have had six leaks in a row on the same stretch in the past nine years,” he said.

“On previous occasions water ran through into people’s garages, so we had to rebuild the paving so the water doesn’t run through into them.

“This estate is 45 years old and this one main keeps bursting all the time.

“We are now without water for at least four hours while they fix it.”

Alan Reynolds, 69, who also lives on the estate, said the main should be replaced.

He said: "We have had a battle with Thames Water for nine years about this main and during that time there have been six major leaks.

“We think that they should replace the whole main, instead of sending a repair team each time.”

A Thames Water spokesman said: "We have been dealing with a burst on a five inch pipe at Turnpike Link in Croydon since the early hours.

"The leak was reported at 1.45am and our engineers were on site by 3.15am.

"The water supply has now been switched off so we can get this repaired. Our engineers are having to cut out a section of the pipe and insert a new piece.

"They will be working hard to get this complete as soon as possible.

"We are really sorry for the inconvenience."