HOMES, businesses and schools in parts of a Kent town were left without water today after a water main burst.

Town centre businesses in Dartford began to lose water during the morning.

About 1,400 students and 160 staff were sent home from Leigh City Technology College in Green Street Green Road, Dartford.

Gateway Primary School in Milestone Road was said to have closed and Westhill Primary School said it would remain open as long as the two water tankers with which it had been supplied lasted.

A spokesman for Thames Water said the company had shut off five sections of pipes to control the situation, after a leaking pipe was reported at the junction of Hawley Road and Oakfield Lane at 2am today.

He added that the company was switching on supplies from 9.30am after repairs had been made.

Thames Water apologised for the inconvenience to customers.

Leigh CTC principal Frank Green was told of the burst water main as he drove into work at 7.10am.

By 8am radio stations had been alerted using secret passwords, and staff manned the gates to advise parents of the situation.

Mr Green said: “Water is essential for life and immediately we have no water supply, we have no toilets and the kitchen cannot operate.”

Mr Green said he was hopeful that the school would re-open on Thursday although it was dependent on Thames Water being able to fix the pipe.