UPDATE: Blackouts back for Leighton, as residents say '˜cut it out!'

Six customers in the George Street/Sunnyside Road area of Leighton Buzzard experienced power supply troubles from 5.10am - 10.55am today (February 3).

Meanwhile, trade in Church Square has been under threat once again after power cuts on January 27, January 26 and January 20.

12 properties were off from 10.15am - 12.25pm on January 27, with a further three back on at 2.29pm.

The Golden Bell pub was in darkness, having suffered earlier in December, using candles to light the room after the lights went out.

Speaking on January 27, Lisa Drew, licensee of the Golden Bell, said: “We’ve had a power cut last week, one yesterday and another one today in Church Square. It’s affecting multiple businesses and I believe the Post Office has had to close completely!”

A Touch of Class Hair and Beauty Salon also reported being without power for three hours on Friday, January 20.

The salon, and other LBO land businesses, already battled blackouts at the start of December, when an underground cable fault was believed to have caused problems in Church Square.

A UK Power Networks spokeswoman said: “We would like to apologise to customers in the Church Square and George Street areas of Leighton Buzzard who have experienced recent power problems. Four to 15 properties have been affected, for a couple hours at a time.

Six customers in the George Street/Sunnyside Road area of Leighton Buzzard experienced a power supply from 5.10am to 10.55am today. We have found and repaired a cable fault today (February 3).

“We apologise for the inconvenience caused.”

Speaking on January 27 about the power cuts, a UK Power Networks spokeswoman said: “UK Power Networks would like to apologise to customers in the Church Square area of Leighton Buzzard who have experienced recent power problems.

“Our engineers attended on January 20, 26 and 27 to quickly restore supplies, believed to have been interrupted by an underground cable fault. Four to 15 properties have been affected, for a couple hours at a time.

“We have patrolled the power line but unfortunately this fault is currently proving difficult to trace.

“Sometimes the heat produced by a fault reseals the cable, meaning it’s difficult to pinpoint the location. We will continue to monitor supplies in the area and aim to resolve this issue as quickly as possible because our priority is to deliver safe and reliable electricity supplies.

“On January 27 there were 12 properties off from 10.15am to 12.25pm and a further three were back on at 2.29pm.”