VILLAGERS and guests battled to save a Forest pub from flooding after a burst pipe turned the centre of Parkend into a lake.

Residents turned out in force to divert thousands of gallons of water gushing towards the Fountain Inn.

Landlady Michelle Powell says she was shocked when Severn Trent told her they could not turn the water off for four hours.

But she says they arrived quicker than expected after police intervened on Tuesday afternoon.

Engineers worked through the night but some supplies were still turned off yesterday morning. Parkend Primary School and New Road were closed by the burst.

Michelle says the pub and holiday accommodation would have been flooded if it wasn't for guests and neighbours who diverted the water to the rear car park.

The force of the water was so strong it lifted the tarmac off the road.

Michelle said: "I was talking to some neighbours when a wall of water came down the road.

"We phoned Severn Trent but they said it could take up to four hours before they could get here.

"You would have thought they would have come out earlier, particularly as sewage started to come up through the drains. I think the police contacted them and told them to hurry up.

"The water was hurtling towards us, but luckily everybody pitched in. It was amazing.

"The field studies centre brought some sandbags and neighbours used fascia boards to divert the water into the car park.

"Even the guests picked up brooms and started sweeping the water away.

"There was a real community spirit.

"That's what Parkend is like. Two of the guests were so impressed by the way everybody rallied round they booked again for New Year."

Carl Gwynne, 67, watched the scene unfold as he walked his dogs.

"The middle of the road started lifting with the pressure," he said.

"You couldn't see the water, just the surface of the road lifting and buckling as if there had been an earthquake. I've never seen anything like it."

A spokesman for Severn Trent said they received a call at 5pm and turned the water off by 6pm.

Engineers had shifted the flow to maintain supplies to customers in Bream, Yorkley and parts of Parkend and tanks of water were brought in to top up the system.

"Once we have finished repairing the mains we will resurface the road and that might create some further disruption," she said.