CONTRACTORS are this evening working to repair a major pipe burst in a village near Winchester - less than a year after a series of ruptures a few hundred yards away on the same road.

Staff from Southern Water and Hampshire Highways are also on the scene on Main Road, Colden Common, close to the premises of Winchester Caravans and Motor Homes.

The burst pipe does not appear to have affected any local properties and there is little water on the public highway.

However, eight vehicles have responded to the emergency and one contractor told the Chronicle the pipe burst was "major".

READ MORE HERE: Pipe burst for second time in three days in Colden Common

It was unclear how badly hit are nearby water supplies to homes and businesses.

Temporary fencing has been set up on the carriageway to allow safe working and narrowing the highway.

Last July the company apologised after a mains water pipe burst twice in three days causing significant flooding and loss of water to nearby homes.

The incident is only around a mile from the chronic sewage pollution issue at Brambridge where drains are unable to cope with heavy rainfall and are regularly discharging raw sewage into the River Itchen.

Southern Water says supplies in the Colden Common area should be back to normal "soon".

The company tweeted: "We apologise to customers who have experienced low pressure, localised flooding or an interruption to supply in the Colden Common area due to a burst water pipe.

"We have teams on site. Supplies should be back to normal soon."