A burst water main left 4,000 homes in the Ely area without supplies while repairs were carried out.

A thousand children were sent home from four schools in the area.

Damage to old iron pipes is being blqmed.

No cuppa for Dorothy Palmer - again

Mother Lynn Riches said: "It means I have to take my children into work with me and as I'm a secondary school teacher it it quite difficult, but we'll survive for one day."

Head teacher of Robert Arkenstall School in Hadenham, Dominic Sharp, said the lack of water raised health and safety issues for his school.

"We can't prepare meals without water.

"We can't clean the school. We can't flush the toilet - which is a fairly major issue - and we can't tend to cuts and bruises."

For pensioner Dorothy Palmer there was no mid-morning cup of tea - for the third time this year.

"It happens quite often really. I don't think it should so much, but if there are bursts, what can you do about it?"

Customers' bills

The problem is caused by the wet soil in the Fens which moves and breaks the iron pipes.

Anglian Water spokesman Andrew Macintoch said replacement with modern plastic mains was costly.

"It is a huge amount of money that has to be spent on these and we have to keep an eye on customers' bills as well.

"It is juggling between further investment and keeping customers' bills down.

"There is a level and we try to find that," he said.