HUNDREDS of Menston residents are recovering from a weekend without gas.

Some 350 homes were cut off following an ‘unexpected loss of supply’ which was reported at 3.30pm on Friday, October 12.

Northern Gas Networks responded by setting up a help point at Kirklands Community Centre on Friday evening where people could collect heaters and hot plates.

The company identified water, which had got into the gas mains and blocked the flow, as the cause of the problem and began a major, round-the-clock repair operation.

By Sunday evening they issued a statement announcing that gas had been ‘restored to Menston...following the removal of almost 600 litres of water from the village mains network’.

The statement - one of many posted regularly online throughout the weekend to keep residents updated - added: “Engineers have visited all the 350 affected properties to carry out safety checks and turn their gas supplies back on.

“Only the homes and businesses where engineers could not get access are still without gas.”

Northern Gas Networks’ Business Operations Manager, John Richardson, meanwhile thanked the people of Menston for their patience.

He said: “Locating and extracting water, once it has got into gas pipes, is quite difficult and can be time consuming.

“We have had to visit every single affected property at least twice as part of our essential safety procedures.

“It has been very inconvenient for people but they have been supportive. We’re sorry it has disrupted their weekend.”

Former Menston Community Association Chair Steve Ellams’ house on Main Street was one of those affected.

Dr Ellams said he had been impressed by the response to the crisis.

He said: “We were directly affected and were given a hot plate and offers of food vouchers for the Wetherby Whaler and the burger van situated outside Kirklands. “Heaters were also available.

“There were a huge number of sub-contractors, vehicles and equipment working round the clock in particularly difficult, stormy conditions.

“Those who attended house-to-house, switching on and off the gas supply, were very good and answered numerous enquiries from householders.

“Most houses were reconnected at about 6.30pm on Sunday, having been without gas supply since around lunchtime on Friday.”