HOMES and businesses across North Weald are without electricity after workmen accidentally cut through a power cable earlier today.

Staff for developer Crest Nicolson were carrying out excavation work this afternoon when they damaged high voltage cables that serve the airfield in the town, disrupting EDF's supply to nearby properties.

A spokesman for the council said: "Epping Forest District Council has arranged for a specialist contractor to attend and repair the cable as quickly as possible.

"EDF will then need to test and reset its systems before the power supply can be fully restored. The supply is not expected to be reconnected until late this evening."

Derek Macnab, Deputy Chief Executive of Epping Forest District Council, said: "Norway House and other local properties still have power but we understand a small number of people have reported problems.

"The cable supplies business tenants on our airfield. Although not on the same cable, we understand that some residential properties may also have lost their supply after the automatic safety systems tripped out the power at the local sub-station.

"Repairs to high voltage cables require very special skills and we have stepped in to bring a specialist contractor down from Felixstowe.

"They should be able to make the physical repairs fairly quickly and EDF will then need to restore the supply. At the moment EDF are telling us that may not be until 10pm this evening."