NORTH West Water has apologised for failing to fix an underground leak for several weeks.

But a spokesman said the trickle was allowed to run because repairs to the main would have meant cutting off many homes and posting warning notices before the supply went off.

The company was responding to an Atherton mother's claim that water bosses were "hypocrites" for ignoring the leak at the same time that they were urging consumers to save precious water.

Julie Eckersley, 40, of Breezehill Road, said there had been a constant stream across a grassy embankment since June.

It had made the ground so boggy no-one could walk over it.

She said: "I have been ringing the emergency water leak line since June but no-one seems to take any notice."

But a NWW spokesman said: "The first report we had of the leak was September 9 but last weekend, the leak became much worse and we had to repair it as an emergency."

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