Residents watched in amazement as this huge water spout shot into the air from a damaged main.

The pipe, in Goring Road, Steyning, sprang a leak after workmen laying pipes disturbed the earth around it.

Onlooker Jean Whitney said: "I got home to find a huge fountain of water coming up from the ground.

"People came out to watch and it was causing quite a bit of excitement.

"I called 999 and about half an hour later the contractors came back and pushed a broom handle into the hole in the pipe to plug the leak.

"They worked on it all evening and finally got it under control quite late in the evening."

A spokesman for Southern Water said the leak was caused by a burst air valve in the pipe.

He said: "Only a minor repair was needed and it was done very quickly by the contractors."