Power cuts cause Ipswich gloom

A POWER cut plunged parts of Ipswich into darkness as residents and businesses reached for candles or emergency electricity supplies.Staff at Ipswich railway station were forced to use standard lamps to illuminate the ticket hall – but no power meant no tickets could be issued using the computers.

A POWER cut plunged parts of Ipswich into darkness as residents and businesses reached for candles or emergency electricity supplies.

Staff at Ipswich railway station were forced to use standard lamps to illuminate the ticket hall – but no power meant no tickets could be issued using the computers.

Following the power cut shortly before 4.45pm yesterday the trains, which depend on a different source of electricity, were running as normal although motorists gingerly approached the junction with Princes Street as the traffic lights ceased to function.

The postcode area of IP2 was worst affected during the half-hour blackout. Street lamps went out and behind curtains the glimmer of candles could be seen.

The Esso garage on Burrell Road lost all power and closed.

Forecourt attendant Adam Hough said that the cut happened during the garage's busiest time.

A spokesman for electricity supplier 24seven said that a caller had reported a loud bang near the sub station in the Willoughby Road area.

He said the problem had been traced to a cable fault on a high-voltage network, and 350 customers in the area of Burrell Road, Rectory Road, Station Street, Belstead Road, The Strand and Vicarage Lane had been affected.

Engineers went to the scene to rectify the problem and power resumed shortly after 5.20pm.