AMBLESIDE residents will suffer their third night without gas as water damage to the gas mains takes longer than expected to clear.

Around 800 homes and businesses are still not connected to the grid after water seeped into the town’s gas mains over the weekend.

The National Grid have spent the day pumping over 2000 litres of water which had found its way into pipes.

Jeanette Unsworth, a spokesperson for the National Grid, said: “We have been hampered by the fact that there is so much water to clear, but once we have removed it, it will be all systems go. We have thrown a lot of resources at this and hope to get as many people as possible reconnected tomorrow.”

South Lakeland District Council have said Ambleside’s most vulnerable people will be prioritised during tomorrow’s drive to reconnect the town.