WATER contractors caused a major gas leak when they severed a gas main by mistake this week.

A major road was blocked, a petrol station was closed for safety and residents were told to keep their windows shut following the incident on the A690 between Durham City and Langley Moor on Monday.

Northumbrian Water, who hired contractors from Fast Flow Pipeline Services, apologised for the blunder that also damaged lunchtime business at the nearby Stonebridge pub.

Emergency services and Transco engineers sealed off the area for more than two hours as they worked to plug the leak.

A spokesman for Northumbrian Water said: "We apologise on behalf of the contractors for any inconvenience caused.

"They were carrying out exploratory work to gather samples to determine what work was necessary to refurbish the network. They dug an excavation and were looking for a 12 inch water main, but at that depth the pipes all look the same."

One man inconvenienced by the incident was Mark Charlton, manager of the Stonebridge pub. He said: "This is the second gas leak in a week at the same spot. Fortunately the first one happened in the middle of the night.

"This second one ruined our lunchtime business because no-one could get through."