RESIDENTS who escaped a flooding catastrophe by just inches have praised firemen who rushed out to deal with a burst water main.

Water gushed down Beatty Gardens, Braintree, in a “torrent” after a huge crack appeared in the pavement at the top of the sloping road on Monday afternoon.

Karen Wall, 58, said: “We got the worst of it. It was very scary when I went to open my door and saw this water coming up and up.

“I was just going to make myself a cup of tea and the tap wasn’t working. I was just going to go out and see if the neighbours had any and there it was.

“It was like a panic. This is a new door and I was worried it was going to come in.

“They had to knock down a garden wall for the water to go down. Otherwise it would have been through the door.

“They were so quick.”

Eight homes were left without water until 11pm following the incident, which started at about 2.20pm on Monday.

An Anglian Water spokesman said the company had instructed insurers to contact those affected.

He said: "We apologise for any inconvenience caused."