Great Western Coffee Shop

A couple are angry after finding a water leak from a bridge near Goring days before this week^s hosepipe ban came into force.

John and Tina Farr, from Gatehampton, discovered a pipe leading from the hamlet^s railway bridge, which connects Goring and Pangbourne stations, dispensing a constant stream of water.

But after 73-year-old Mrs Farr complained to Thames Water she found the water company and Network Rail were disputing which was responsible for repairs.

Mrs Farr, a retired nurse, said: ^I find it quite distressing that gallons of water are gushing out when we have a hosepipe ban. I spoke to Thames Water daily at first. One of the problems was that they couldn^t find their way here, which was pathetic because their pumping station is right next to the bridge. Despite the fact you can hear the water running from the pipe quite loudly, they said they couldn^t find it.^

Thames Water passed the problem to Network Rail, which own the bridge, but when Mrs Farr called the rail company, she found the job had been handed back. She then called Thames Water again but was told the company didn^t have a record of the job being returned.

Mrs Farr said: ^All these people I^ve spoken to are really helpful and pleasant and they make you feel something is going to be done but nothing ever happens.^

The couple, who often walk past the bridge on the towpath which runs underneath, said they had never noticed water coming out before.

Mr Farr, 80, a retired radiographer, said: ^It^s a waste. Here we are having a hosepipe ban and being asked to save water when the companies responsible are wasting it themselves.^

Thames Water said engineers would be sent out to fix the problem. A spokesman said: ^It has taken longer than we would have liked because we have had to prioritise others leaks. We are currently fixing 1,000 leaks a week which have been reported to us by customers.^

He added: ^We should have got there more quickly.^