A COUPLE have been left temporarily homeless after a burst water main flooded their flat.

The man and woman, who are in their 40s, were at their home in Siddow Common, Leigh, at 1pm when water began coming through their ceiling, from the unoccupied flat above.

The couple alerted firefighters who went to the scene and turned off the power and water supply and managed to stop the leak.

Fire officers said the water caused severe damage to the flat and the repairs are likely to take several weeks.

The British Red Cross’s temporary housing unit was brought to the scene to give the couple somewhere to stay until other accommodation could be found.

A Fire Service spokesman said: “It is likely that someone has broken into the upstairs flat in an attempt to steal copper and the water main has burst, causing the flooding.

“The water has gone everywhere and flooded the flat below, which is a real shame for the couple.

“All we could do was to isolate the power and water and get the British Red Cross to help.”