by Harry Low

hlow@thekmgroup.co.uk

Thousands of homes were left without power this morning after an underground cable was damaged.

Around 4,000 properties in Christianfields in Gravesend suffered a power cut at 10.11am when a high-voltage underground electricity cable was damaged.

Many were left without power for almost two hours although around 800 homes had power restored within six minutes.

A spokesman for UK Power Networks, which owns and operates the network of cables and power lines supplying electricity to around eight million homes including many in Kent, said: "We are committed to providing a reliable supply of electricity and, in a bid to reduce the number of power interruptions caused by contractors damaging underground cables, actively encourage any firm undertaking work to contact us in advance for advice and free cable locating maps, to help them avoid our cables.

"This is vital for their own safety as well as for the security of electricity supplies."

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