Suffolk communities stilled by storm
HOMES and businesses across the Ipswich area were plagued by power cuts for much of yesterday after freak thunderstorms played havoc with power supplies.
HOMES and businesses across the Ipswich area were plagued by power cuts for much of yesterday after freak thunderstorms played havoc with power supplies.
Areas affected by the cuts included Westgate Street in Ipswich, Bramford, Claydon, and Great Finborough, near Stowmarket.
Power was still off in many areas of Bramford late into the night as engineers continued investigations into problems with the Bramford Grid. The power was first reported as being cut off at 10.32am.
Power in Claydon was restored at 4pm yesterday after being off for nearly four hours, while it was due to be restored at 10pm in Great Finborough after being off since 7.15am.
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Shops in Westgate Street in Ipswich also suffered due to an underground network fault, which was unconnected to the storms.
Understandably, businesses across the area were affected. Lunches were off the menu at the Bramford Cock after they lost power for three hours around midday.
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Bar maid Debbie Kiddle said: "We could not serve any meals today. It was a great inconvenience. There were staff to pay but no customers to serve."
Dave Daniel, managing director of Scannell Construction Ltd, of City Lane, Great Finborough, was also affected by the cuts.
He said: "I have got a generator running to keep a computer, fax and kettle running. We just haven't been able to do everything we would normally do but fortunately with the generator we have been able to keep things ticking over."
Some businesses in Great Finborough escaped the power-cut. Post Office owner Paul Marks said: "The power went off for about 20 seconds but the office side of things seemed to be ok. It seemed to be the residential side that had more of the problems."
A spokesman for electricity maintenance company 24seven said: "We have had problems with lightning throughout the area today. We have had a lot of problems in our area with our lines and conductors damaged and transformers being struck by lightning."
"The underground cables that affected some shops in Westgate Street, in Ipswich, was unconnected to the lightning and that is still being investigated."
