MARLBOROUGH residents contacting Thames Water about being cut off were told by the helpline to call a plumber.

Hundreds of local people called the 0845 number when water supplies failed at 11am on Thursday but few managed to get any information from the privatised amenity company.

Callers were given five options on the automated message line, then five more. Then they were asked to key in their postcodes. They were then asked if they were ringing from Romford, Swindon or Portsmouth. Having selected “Swindon” callers were told they were no “issues” in their area and to phone a plumber.

Those who waited for a human voice waited more than 25 minutes listening to recorded music.

A spokesman for the company apologised for the lack of information but said that there was an unusually high volume of calls that day.

Meanwhile hair salons, cafes and restaurants in the town desperately tried to cope with what supplies they had managed to save.

Martin Last, owner of Macaulay’s hair and beauty salon in Hughenden Yard, said: “We changed as many appointments as we could and then filled as many buckets as we could. If you will excuse the pun, it has been all hands to the pump.

“We have managed but I can’t believe the lack of information. Our landlords have tried to get information out of Thames Water all day. They camped on the line for 25 minutes or more without success.”

Caroline Clarkson-Coles, owner of Carrie’s hairdressers in New Road, said: “The pressure is way down but we have managed to cope. But I have no water at home. I don’t know how older people are managing. It is a nightmare.”

A jammed valve connected to the town’s reservoir caused the problem. The water supply was restored by 5pm.