Damaged pipes linked to the communal heating system on Anfield Close, resulting in a major leak, will see a rather chilly start to the winter for some residents.

Though not all residents will be affected many Anfield Close residents will be left without heating to their properties until the half century old pipes are repaired which is expected to take a week.

When engineers arrived to turn on the communal heating system, water pressure could not be maintained which revealed the problem at the end of September. Initial concerns were raised that the leak was in a residents flat, however after further investigations by engineers, a substantial leak outside 6 Anfield Close has been found.

The pipes have now been exposed and a number of flats from 1 to 14 will be left without heating. Those residents affected have been offered heaters as well as refunds for use of electricity.

The residents living at 6 Anfield Close will have to be temporarily re-located and internal works to the property will have to be carried out to re-lay new pipes.

WERA Chair Dave McEvoy who lives on Anfield Close said “This is a terrible situation which with the winter fast approaching I hope can be resolved quickly. We have a number of elderly and sick residents who will be affected and I will be doing all I can to ensure this work is carried out as soon as is practical. I will do my very best to ensure that residents are not without heating to far into the winter though I have been assured this wont be the case. I am pleased the leak has now been located and works can begin promptly, however I am appalled that the pipes have been left to deteriorate to such a degree that they have blown”

Engineers will be working on the problem to lay new piping and restore heating by Mid October.

Those residents living in unaffected flats will be reconnected by Friday 9th October 2009.

The pipes are linked to the boiler which is switched off at the start of the summer and is switched back on giving residents heating from the first week in October.